Election blow for Shinawatras as court dissolves Thai Raksa Chart party over Princess Ubolratana’s bid to be PM

Thailand braces for violence as Constitutional Court disqualifies the party from contesting the general election on March 24

The ruling strengthens the junta’s hand in first election since its coup in 2014

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Supporters of the Thai Raksa Chart party in Bangkok. Photo: EPA

Published: 4:32pm, 7 Mar 2019Updated: 1:40pm, 21 Mar 2019

Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the Thai Raksa Chart party should be dissolved and its executives banned for 10 years, a decision that has raised tensions ahead of the country’s first election since the 2014 coup.

The nine-member court determined the party’s decision to nominate Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, the elder sister of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, as its candidate for prime minister was an act “hostile to the constitutional monarchy”. On Instagram, the princess described the verdict as “sad and depressing”.

Authorities braced for a violent response to the ruling, deploying more than 1,000 policemen to guard the court as it reached its controversial verdict in front of 30 representatives of the party and members of the Election Commission.

The verdict, which effectively disqualifies Thai Raksa Chart and its candidates from contesting the general election on March 24, deals a severe blow to the camp led by the Shinawatra family as without the party’s support it is unlikely to be able to form a government.

Thai Raksa Chart is not the biggest of the parties loyal to the Shinawatras, but many of the constituencies it was predicted to win may now support the bloc’s main rival, the Palang Pracharat party, which has nominated Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha as its candidate for the top job.

Prayuth led the junta that ousted Yingluck Shinawatra from power nearly five years ago. Yingluck’s

older brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was prime minister from 2001-06, before also being deposed by a coup. Nevertheless, the Shinawatras continue to wield significant influence in Thai politics and will now have to rely on their main political vehicle, the Pheu Thai party.