Top justices may annul Thai poll

Thailand's three judges will meet this week to consider nullifying this month's elections, after a rare demand from the king for the courts to resolve months of political turmoil, a court spokesman said yesterday.

The chief justices of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, and the Supreme Administrative Court will meet tomorrow to consider whether to nullify the election or to clear the way for parliament to convene, spokesman Charan Pakdithanakul said.

"There is a pressing need for the court to take action," Charan said.

Thailand been mired in political crisis after an opposition boycott of April 2 elections coupled with weeks of street protests forced prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to step aside.

Parliament legally convene to form a new government until all 500 seats are filled, but after two rounds of voting, 14 seats remain empty because of the opposition boycott.

A third round of voting in southern Thailand is slated for Saturday to try to fill them.

"If the election is voided, a new election date will have to be decided. If it is not nullified, the justices will decide what to do if parliament lacks a quorum of 500 seats," Charan told local radio earlier.

All 87 justices on the Supreme Court will meet today to try to take a common position before the nation's three top judges meet, he added.

The court's announcement came the morning after the king spoke to the Supreme Court justices in his palace, urging them to find a way to resolve the crisis and ensure parliament can open.

He called the April 2 elections "undemocratic," but insisted he would not appoint a new prime minister as the opposition have asked.

The leading opposition party said yesterday they were ready to run in new elections.

"The Democrat Party will heed the royal remarks and is willing to cooperate with courts to solve the impasse," party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said.

"If cooperation means new elections, the Democrats are ready to run," he said.

Acting prime minister Chidchai Vanasathidya said that the ruling Thai Rak Thai party viewed the remarks as a call for national reconciliation.

"The situation should get better after the king's address," he said, while declining to speculate about whether the courts would invalidate the election.

But the leader of the protests that helped drive Thaksin from office insisted that the monarch should name a new prime minister.

"We still adhere to our original demands, that the election was unjust and undemocratic," media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul told reporters.

"Outgoing prime minister Thaksin and his government must resign to pave the way for a neutral prime minister, appointed by the king, to supervise new elections," he said.

Sondhi insisted that his People's Alliance for Democracy would rally on May 2 in Bangkok. Mass anti-Thaksin protests have been held in the capital accusing the billionaire businessman turned politician of abuse of power and cronyism.

Sondhi criminal charges of insulting the king at one of his rallies last month. He has defied two subpoenas to appear before police. It was possible that a warrant for his arrest would be issued later yesterday.

Santi Vilassakdanont, head of the Federation of Thai Industries, predicted the king's statement would lead to new elections.