By REUTERS
May 8, 2006
BANGKOK, May 8 (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that the inconclusive April 2 general election was unconstitutional and a new poll should be held, one of the 14 judges told reporters after a meeting of the court.
"The Constitutional Court voted 8 to 6 that the elections were unconstitutional and voted 9 to 5 to hold a new election," Judge Ura Wangomklang told reporters. A court spokesman was due to address a news conference later.
Earlier, another judge said the decision would resolve the political crisis, although a clear way out of what revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has described as a "mess" does not appear to be imminent.
The impasse was brought about by an opposition boycott of the snap poll that left empty seats in parliament and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra unable to form a government.
However, the opposition Democrat party, which said the April poll was not fair, said it would participate in a re-run after a rare intervention by the king last month.
Thaksin called the election three years early to counter a Bangkok-based street campaign against him.
The election revealed a strong protest vote, and led to Thaksin taking a "political break" and passing day-to-day work to a deputy.
However, in the past week, he has stepped back into the public eye, leading a cabinet audience with the king to mark Coronation Day on Friday, intensifying speculation that his stepping aside was purely cosmetic.
"The Constitutional Court voted 8 to 6 that the elections were unconstitutional and voted 9 to 5 to hold a new election," Judge Ura Wangomklang told reporters. A court spokesman was due to address a news conference later.
Earlier, another judge said the decision would resolve the political crisis, although a clear way out of what revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has described as a "mess" does not appear to be imminent.
The impasse was brought about by an opposition boycott of the snap poll that left empty seats in parliament and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra unable to form a government.
However, the opposition Democrat party, which said the April poll was not fair, said it would participate in a re-run after a rare intervention by the king last month.
Thaksin called the election three years early to counter a Bangkok-based street campaign against him.
The election revealed a strong protest vote, and led to Thaksin taking a "political break" and passing day-to-day work to a deputy.
However, in the past week, he has stepped back into the public eye, leading a cabinet audience with the king to mark Coronation Day on Friday, intensifying speculation that his stepping aside was purely cosmetic.
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