Chalerm wild card for PM / Charter court dissolves PPP, key coalition allies

Written by Gunboy on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

AEKARACH SATTABURUT AND KING-OUA LAOHONG

Public Health Minister Chalerm Yubamrung has emerged as a possible new prime minister after Somchai Wongsawat was disqualified by the Constitution Court in the dissolution cases against his People Power party (PPP).

The court also dissolved the other two parties, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya, and revoked the political rights of their executives, banning them from politics for five years.

As a PPP executive member, Mr Somchai was disqualified and his premiership was automatically terminated.

It spelled an end to his 77-day government. Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Charnveerakul is acting prime minister until a new prime minister is selected and a new cabinet is formed.

Mr Chaovarat and some other cabinet members, including Deputy Prime Minister Olarn Chaipravat, who are not PPP executive members, survived the verdict.

A source in the PPP faction controlled by Buri Ram politician Newin Chidchob said Mr Chalerm was a strong favourite to succeed Mr Somchai as premier and is a prudent choice to handle the political situation that appears to be turning against MPs of the dissolved PPP.

The source said former deputy prime minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan and Transport Minister Santi Promphat have also been mentioned as likely candidates.

Nakhon Phanom MP Phaichitr Srivorakhan, leader of the PPP’s Isan Pattana faction, said if the party wants to continue to fight, Mr Chalerm has a combative personality that suits the job perfectly.

But in a situation where compromise is needed, Mr Mingkwan is the best choice, he added.

Mr Chalerm and Mr Mingkwan are not PPP executives.

The surviving PPP members will go to the Puea Thai party already set up to accommodate them after the PPP realised it would be dissolved, according to Puea Thai party spokesman Sakda Noppasit.

Nine of the judges on the court bench read out the verdicts at the Administrative Court on Chaeng Wattana road after the Constitution Court was besieged by government supporters.

The nine judges were unanimous in dissolving the PPP and Matchimathipataya. The decision to disband Chart Thai was passed eight to one. Nurak Mapraneet was reportedly the judge who felt the party should not be dissolved.

In the case of the PPP, the charter court said the Supreme Court’s verdict which found former PPP deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat guilty of poll fraud in the election on last Dec 2 was final.

The charter court said it had no authority to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision.

The Election Commission (EC) recommended the dissolution of the PPP following the disqualification of Mr Yongyuth, a list MP.

Article 237 of the constitution provides for the dissolution of a party if an executive member is found guilty of violating the election law and the party is found to be complicit in the offence.

In the cases against Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya, the court resolved to disband the parties for the same reasons as the PPP disqualification.

The EC red-carded Chart Thai deputy secretary-general Monthien Songpracha, a winning candidate in Chai Nat, and Sunthorn Wilawan, deputy leader of Matchimathipataya and a winning candidate in Prachin Buri, for vote-buying in the Dec 23 election.

Mr Somchai said in Chiang Mai that now he had been ousted as prime minister, he was an ordinary citizen again.

“I have not done anything to benefit myself in the past. I have served the country as best as I possibly could,” Mr Somchai said.

Chart Thai leader Banharn Silpa-archa was outraged by the court’s ruling to dissolve his party and said the verdict had been made in advance.

“There will be nominees [of banned politicians] across the country. If a husband is banned, his wife or his offspring will replace him. Suphan Buri people will not see the absence of Silpa-archa men. I’ve already prepared my own men for a new party,” Mr Banharn said.

Bangkok Post
Wednesday December 03, 2008