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Thailand tightens security
30/05/2007 07:28 - (SA)
Bangkok - Thousands of security officers fanned out across the Thai capital on Wednesday and political websites were shut down, amid fears of violence ahead of a tribunal ruling that could disband the country's two largest parties.
A dozen websites supportive of ousted Premier Thaksin Shinawatra have been blocked in the past few days amid concerns that they may encourage people to protest on the streets, according to the Information Ministry, which said the block will remain in place until the verdict is out.
In a decision that could radically alter the political landscape, the Constitutional Court is to rule on Wednesday on whether Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party and its Democrat Party rival violated election laws in April 2006.
If found guilty, the parties could be dissolved or their executives barred from public office for five years, or both. The parties could, however, register under a different name to run in future elections.
Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless military coup last September after months of street protests and flawed elections. Now living abroad, he and his family are under investigation for alleged corruption and other offences.
Thai Rak Thai is accused of financing obscure parties to run against it in last year's election to get around rules requiring a minimum voter turnout in constituencies where single candidates run unopposed.
The Democrat Party is accused of conniving with some small parties to lure Thai Rak Thai into illegally funding them.
The leaders of both parties have publicly promised to accept the court's ruling, but some senior members of Thai Rak Thai earlier threatened to stage mass protests if their party was disbanded.
Security around the court was tight early on Wednesday, though there were no signs of supporters of either party gathering there.
- AP
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