King Warns Judges On Dissolution

[Totster]

KING WARNS JUDGES ON DISSOLUTION

Trouble sure to follow

His Majesty the King yesterday expressed his grave concern over the upcoming Constitution Tribunal verdict on the future of two major political parties and asked the country's top judges to do their best for the country and yet brace themselves for heavy criticism.

The message, which emphasised the country was on the brink of possibly another major crisis, was conveyed to top Supreme Administrative Court judges who were granted an audience to present the monarch a gown to commemmorate his 60-year reign.

The King described the verdict, due next Wednesday, as a "highly important" decision, which would cause a lot of trouble no matter how it turns out.

"It will be a highly important decision, which will cause you [judges in general] trouble no matter what," he said. "There will be trouble whether political parties remain or not, because [on one hand] political parties need to exist."

The monarch said even he himself was not supposed to speak out on this delicate matter.

"Regarding this issue, you [Administrative Court judges] are not supposed to say anything because you are not involved. Even I can't say if there should be or there shouldn't be political parties, or whether parties should be dissolved or not. That's why I said the gown you gave me gave me trouble. It came with no power. Whether one will wear the gown or not, there will be no power. Just like you. You have no power [regarding this matter] as well," he said.

The King asked the visiting judges, led by Supreme Administrative Court President Ackaratorn Chularat, to "rightly interpret" what he was trying to say.

"Whatever court you belong to, judges need to make the right interpretation, otherwise the country will be doomed," he said.

His Majesty reiterated that the upcoming verdict and reaction present Thailand with a potential crisis.

"You [Administrative Court judges] have the responsibility to judge, but not with the hammer. You can only decide within your heart whether the Constitution Tribunal makes the right ruling. Your responsibility and duty are to criticise the ruling. I have no right whatsoever to say if they are right or wrong, but in my heart I have to know whether they have done right or wrong. If they are wrong, there will be trouble whether or not political parties remain. I have the answer in my heart but I have no right to say it. Neither do you. But you must have the decision in your heart as to whether the Constitution Tribunal is right or wrong.

"But there will be trouble and damage, whatever ruling is made. Any decision can be a mistake. Therefore, there has to be some criticism. If there can't be official criticism, there has to be personal one. That's why I told you, you brought me trouble by bringing me this gown, because this gown means I'm also an Administrative Court judge.

"[We] can't issue any ruling because we are not the Constitution Tribunal. Being the Constitution Tribunal, they have the right to be involved in many things. But if you listen to radio over the past two days, there has been heavy criticism about the courts. You [Administrative Court judges] have to find a way to protect your fellow judges.

"...You took responsibility following what I said in Hua Hin over a year ago and consequently many things happened. And those things have their causes. But the things got entangled. And soon they may be more so. You must be well prepared to dispense some criticism - not as judges, but as individuals or specialists - to prevent our country from sinking and people saying we have done nothing or trying to solve the problem.

"You have the responsibility to prevent the country from sinking, to give more knowledge to knowledgeable people, or to educate those who have no knowledge, so that they will know which direction Thailand should take. You can think, and you can say it, because you are the ones with the knowledge. Please keep on trying to improve our country's situation, which is not good at all this year," the king said.

- The Nation

[Jai Dee]

Television grabs showing His Majesty the King talk to Administrative Court judges, led by Ackaratorn Chularat, reading a statement at right, during their audience at Chitralada Palace yesterday.

The King was presented with a gown of the court’s judge, in honour of his 60 years on the throne.

Source: The Nation - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Thai King says fears strife after verdict on parties

Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej told senior judges on Thursday a ruling next week on whether the country's two main political parties should be disbanded for breaking election rules was bound to cause strife.

"You have the responsibility to prevent the country from collapsing," King Bhumibol, speaking slowly and appearing to choose his words with care, told the judges at his Chitralada Palace in Bangkok.

No matter what verdict the Constitutional Tribunal handed down on Wednesday, it would be criticised and the judges should be aware of the potential consequences, he said.

"Whatever the verdict will be, it will bring damage to the country. Whatever direction it will take, it will be erroneous," he said in a 15-minute speech broadcast on national television.

King Bhumibol appeared to imply that supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra or the generals who ousted him in a bloodless coup last September would be upset by the ruling.

The army-installed government says it is prepared to invoke an emergency decree if demonstrations triggered by the ruling turn violent.

Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party and its rival, the Democrat Party, are accused of violating election laws in an inconclusive general election last year that was later annulled by the courts.

The parties face dissolution and their top leadership, including Thaksin who is living in exile in London, could be banned from politics for five years.

Many analysts believe the generals want that verdict to complete their coup by barring Thaksin from politics despite his frequent statements that he has quit.

If Thai Rak Thai is not disbanded, the justification for ousting Thakin, accused of abuse of power and presiding over rampant corruption, would be undermined, analysts say.

King Bhumibol told the judges, one of whom is on the nine-member Constitutional Tribunal, that political parties "need to exist" in Thailand and the verdict was "very important" for the parties.

King Bhumibol, who has been on the throne for 60 years and is the world's longest reigning monarch, has no formal political power. But Thursday's meeting was his second public intervention in just over a year, both of them involving top judges.

In April last year, he told judges it was their job to break a political deadlock created by an opposition boycott of a snap election called by Thaksin to defuse street protests against him.

The judges annulled the poll results and sacked the election commissioners, paving the way for an election rerun that was aborted by the coup in September.

Source: Reuters - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

HM the King: Be prepared for crucial verdict

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej called on the kingdom's top judges to be prepared for next week's verdict of the Constitution Tribunal on the fate of Thailand's major political parties.

In his address to the Administrative Court judges who were granted an audience at Chitralada Palace on Thursday, HM the King thanked them for presenting him a gown as Administrative Court judge. He said despite the gown, however, he was not empowered to give his view on the political parties.

Whatever the verdict, he said, judges were proned to criticism. He called on the Administrative Court judges to find prevention measures on behalf of all courts when criticism did arise.

"No matter what the judgement is, you will be in trouble. I will also be in trouble but we are not in the position to say if they are right or wrong. If they are wrong, we can only tell ourselves that they are wrong. You should have your own opinions, at least personally," said His Majesty.

Expressing concern on the present fragile situation in the country, His Majesty the King urged the judges to educate people and thanked them for carrying out their duties with honesty for the happiness of the people. He also expressed his strong belief in the judges' determination to work for the survival of the nation.

His Majesty said he believed in the judges' abilities to make positive decisions on behalf of other courts whether the Administrative or the Supreme courts.

The Constitution Tribunal will give its verdict next Wednesday on whether two leading political parties, the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai, would be dissolved for alleged electoral fraud in the April 2, 2006 general election.

Source: TNA - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Meechai says HM troubled by political situation

National Legislative Assembly Speaker Meechai Ruchuphan said Friday that His Majesty the King had apparently been troubled by His concern over the current political situation.

Meechai said he listened to His Majesty's message to a group of top Administrative Court judges Thursday night and would like to sum up the message in five points as following:

1) The current political situation is troubling the mind of His Majesty like the Thais are bringing bad fortune to His Majesty.

2) His Majesty said the rulings on the electoral fraud cases were crucial and would affect the country and no matter how the rulings would come out, the verdicts would be both loved and hated.

3) His Majesty wants the judges to be brave and make the ruling with bravery and honesty.

4) After the rulings, all must use intelligence to try to explain and convince the people to accept the rulings.

5) His Majesty wished Thailand luck.

Source: The Nation - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Suthep vows to heed HM's message

Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said Friday that he told party members nationwide to accept the ruling against the party on May 30 peacefully.

He said the party members were told not to confront with any group but they could gather at party offices to hear the verdict.

Suthep said he would heed the message of His Majesty the King and would not do anything that would further sadden His Majesty.

He said if the Democrat was found guilty by the Constitution Tribunal he would quit politics.

Source: The Nation - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

NLA Chairman warns people who may create unrest to think of HM the King

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) Chairman, Mr. Meechai Ruchuphan, reiterates that His Majesty the King has helped solve the national crises many times by being impartial and abiding by the Constitution. Mr. Meechai says His Majesty has always been in the hearts of Thai people. He has warned the ill-intentioned people who are planning to create disorder to think of His Majesty. The NLA Chairman says Thai people pay respect to His Majesty because His Majesty has done many good deeds for them, not because it is obligated in the Constitution.

Mr. Meechai says there will always be people who disagree with the Constitutional Court’s verdict, whether or not certain political parties will be dissolved. Hence, he suggests the court to be brave and honest in judging the case. He also advises the court to explain to the general public after the verdict has been given.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Television grabs show Administrative Court judges, led by Ackaratorn Chularat, reading a statement at right, during their audience at Chitralada Palace yesterday.

The King was presented with a judge’s gown, in honour of his 60 years on the throne.

Source: The Nation - 25 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Abhisit vows to accept ruling without causing trouble

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday that his party would accept the electoral fraud case ruling without causing any trouble.

Abhisit said since His Majesty the King had concern over the situation after the rulings on May 30, all Thais should try not to cause trouble or minimise the trouble.

He said he and some 30 party members would go to the Constitution Tribunal to hear the verdict against his party.

Source: The Nation - 25 May 2007