The Election Commission has announced that the ruling Democrat Party must be dissolved for the alleged failure to report campaign contributions from a large corporation. If the Constitution Court concurs, then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would be out of a job. In fact, his government could be tossed out. If so, this would be the second time it has happened to a sitting Prime Minister in the last two years. In 2008, Somchai Wongsawat lost the job after the Court ruled against his People Power Party for alleged vote buying. At the time, he was also facing a political impasse because the Yellow Shirts (the anti-government protesters of the day) were his most vocal opponents, having occupied the two airports and Government House.
After the Red Shirt protests turned deadly last weekend, the protesters have declared their demand Yubsapha! (Dissolve parliament now!) is non-negotiable. The victims of the violence are martyrs and their cause is just; they cannot waste their blood by negotiating with the government. If the timing of the EC decision is appalling, well, it may be an indicator that the Prime Minister has lost key political support. These events have called into question Abhisit's ability to control the situation, even to bring it to a peaceful resolution. Dissolving the Democrat Party, rather than parliament, may even be viewed as a solution to the current impasse. If it seems extreme, well, political winds are fickle.
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