Special reports: Crisis in Thailand
                          Snap general election in Thailand
                          Thai deputy PM appointed caretaker PM

Related: Thai April 2 election unconstitutional: judge 
            Thailand's major parties ready to contest fresh election

    

Secretary-General of the Acting Constitutional Court Paiboon Varahapaitoon speaks during a news conference at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok May 8, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters)

BANGKOK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Thailand' Constitutional Court Monday ruled the April 2 snap election unconstitutional, paving the way for a new general election in efforts to end the country's drawn-out political impasse.

    The court's 14 judges, after hours-long meeting in the morning, voted 8 to 6 that the elections were unconstitutional, and voted 9 to 5 to hold a new election, court spokesman Paiboon Varahapaitoon told media.

    A majority of nine judges opted to scrap the election as it was considered breaching the constitution. No date has been determined immediately for the new poll.

    "The court found the April 2 election date was inappropriate and unfair, and arrangement of the polling stations also violated the requirement for voting to be done in secret," he said.

    The much-anticipated verdict was handed down after considering a complaint questioning the legitimacy of the poll lodged by a group led by a Thammas at University law lecturer. The ruling was made on grounds of a rushed election date, repositioning of polling booths, alleged bankrolling of small parties by a major party to field candidates in certain constituencies and a lack of formal review of the Election Commission (EC) resolution.

    On April 28, Thailand's three top courts failed to hammer out a ruling as for whether to nullify the April 2 parliamentary election in the wake of the King's advice for them to work together to break the constitutional quagmire.

    They agreed to accelerate deliberations of a flurry of complains filed contesting the fairness of the election process within their respective jurisdiction and operate in consistent manner bearing in mind the benefit of the country.

     The Administrative Court, which adjudicates disputes involving state agencies, is reviewing a petition lodged by another group of academics against the EC and would possibly give out a verdict in mid-May.

    The courts have repeatedly refused to step into the crisis before the King's instructions. There has been a long history of the military intervening in the political disputes in Thailand before the reformist 1997 Constitution.

    Expectations have been widely aroused for the cancellation of the election results and a fresh parliamentary polling following the King's rare speech late last month.

    In his rare speech, the revered monarch ruled out the possibility to appoint an interim prime minister to steer the country through political reforms as the opposition has requested. He criticized the political mess and branded one-party race as undemocratic.

    Thai Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra dissolved the Lower House in February and called the snap election three years ahead to defuse protracted street protests demanding his resign over claims of corruption and abuse of power.

    Buoyed by supports from the vast countryside, Thaksin-led Thai Rak Thai (TRT) garnered 56 percent of the eligible votes. The poll, however, left 40 parliamentary seats unfilled due to boycott by three main opposition parties.

    A strong protest votes force Thaksin to step aside and handed over the day-to-day power to Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit, a move seen by critics as a tactic to again cling to power.

    Thailand's law has prevented parliament from convening until a quorum is reached, but 14 seats remain empty after two rounds of balloting.

    The Administrative Court has put on hold the second by-election slated for April 29, saying there may be grounds to rule the inconclusive April 2 snap general election unlawful. The EC then filed back claiming that the court does not have the authority to issue verdict on the election issue.

    Thaksin was reserved about the court's decision. "Whatever will be will be," he said when asked about the court's possible ruling Sunday. The caretaker premier, still leader of his party and a parliamentarian, has walked away the public's sight for some time before leading cabinet members at an audience with the King last Friday marking the Coronation Day and hosting a gala dinner at Government House.

    The TRT Party deputy leader Pongthep Thepkanchana said his party would accept whatever decision.

    The main opposition Democrat Party has pledged to contest the next general election once the poll is void but leaders of the People's Coalition for Democracy (PAD), which has unseated Thaksin from office through months of protests, warned they would start rallies anew if caretaker Prime Minister competes in the new polling.

    In the event of the court ruling on Monday, the PAD urged EC members to resign in a show of responsibility if the poll is annulled.

    Political analysts predict that the country would face an eventful and murky future in the short term. "There are no winner in the debacles over the last four months. The biggest loser are the Thai people who have been the country's central governance grind to a halt because of the political turmoil," commented an editorial carried by Bangkok Post newspaper. Enditem