HM the King grants audience with Administrative Court Judges

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A group of senior Administrative Court Judges were granted an audience with HM the King at Chitralada Palace on Thursday 8pm.

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej advised top judges Thursday to render a firm and clear verdict in a case that could dissolve the country's top political parties, warning that the nation's security was at risk.

The king, a constitutional monarch who is revered by virtually all Thais, gave the advice in a speech to Administrative Court judges that was shown on all national television channels Thursday evening. Bhumibol rarely speaks out directly on political or policy matters, saving his immense influence for times of national crisis.

The Constitutional Court will rule May 30 on whether the former ruling Thai Rak Thai Party and the Democrat Party violated election law last year, which could lead to their being disbanded.

Concern has been expressed by the media and some public figures that disorder may result from the court's decision, particularly if it decided to dissolve the Thai Rak Thai Party of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

A former deputy leader of Thai Rak Thai earlier this week threatened to mobilize thousands of protesters if the court ruled against it.

"I urge you to prepare yourself to be ready to criticize or be criticized in the capacity of the learned men to prevent the country from falling into a crisis. If you don't do anything, the country will fall," the 79-year-old king said.

The practical meaning of the king's advice was not clear, though it seems to suggest that the judges not make some compromise ruling to attempt to please all parties involved.

Thailand has been in a state of political turmoil since early last year, when a popular movement to oust then-Prime Minister Thaksin from office for alleged corruption and abuse of power gathered steam.

An April 2006 general election was boycotted by the opposition parties, including the Democrats, and Parliament could not be opened for lack of a quorum. The courts later invalidated the election, leaving the country with a caretaker government under Thaksin that was overthrown by a coup-d'etat in September.

Both parties were indicted for alleged breaches of election law during last year's polls, with the possibility that their leaders could be barred from holding public office or their organizations dissolved entirely.

The leaders of both parties have publicly said they will respect the court's ruling.

Source: IHT