Politics faces shake-up

In the coming months, the courts will make decisions that may drastically change the way local politics is played.

Tomorrow the Supreme Court Criminal Division for Political Position Holders will begin hearing the Ratchada-phisek land scandal case.

In this criminal case, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman are charged with abuse of power for allegedly using their political privilege to buy prime land from the state.

Public prosecutors have prepared 22 witnesses. A team of lawyers for Thaksin and Pojaman will field an equal number of witnesses. The hearing will start with prosecution witnesses and run until September 2, after which the Supreme Court should hand down its verdict.

If they were found guilty, it could signal an end to their political standing because the decision cannot be appealed. Two weeks back, the couple faced a setback when three of their lawyers working on the land case were sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court.

The lawyers were found to have attempted to bribe court officials with Bt2 million stashed in a snack bag. Police have launched an investigation.

The Supreme Court has also grounded Thaksin by denying his request to travel abroad as the land case is about to start.

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court's Election Division will rule on election fraud against former House speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat. The Election Comm-ission has issued Yongyuth a "red card" for violating election law. If he was found guilty, he would be stripped of his MP status.

Moreover, his case would have a big impact on the People Power Party since he is its executive member and deputy leader.

If he was found guilty, the Election Commission would form a committee to investigate whether a party should be dissolved. The political turmoil that started in 2006 between Thaksin supporters and his opponents saw a military coup in September that year. It failed to quell Thaksin's political influence. But Thaksin now faces a number of corruption cases in the court of justice.

Prinya Thevanaruemitkul, a law academic from Thammasat University, believes the court will be able to resolve the deep-running conflict.

"I believe after the court's ruling, the conflict should be resolved, no matter what the ruling may be," he said. "We are pursuing a democratic course. Since we have conflict and legal wrangling, only a court of justice can act as the final arbiter."

Khanin Boonsuwan, a political veteran, is cautious about this view. "Whatever the court ruling may be, there would be those who are against the decision. Its opposition could be strong. If they can't fight it on the ground, they will do it underground," he said.

Another legal expert said if Thais valued the rule of law, the conflict would disappear after the ruling was made.

"The problem may be some locals do not have much regard for the rule of law," he said.

Beginning today in another legal case, Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap faces a critical test. The Administrative Court will decide whether he showed contempt when it issued an order to reinstate the board of the Government Pharmaceu-tical Organisation.

On Wednesday, Chaiya will also face another hurdle when the Constitution Court rules on his asset concealment case.

The National Counter Cor-ruption Commission has found Chaiya guilty of failing to declare his wife's shareholding in a company of more than 5 per cent.

Chaiya will lose his post and be banned from politics for five years if the Constitution Court rules against him.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court Criminal Division for Political Position Holders will make its ruling on a corruption case involving the Klong Dan wastewater treatment project.

Puea Pandin Party chairman Vatana Asavahame is among the defendants. On July 28, it will rule on a case concerning the issuing of two and three-digit lotteries. Defendants include Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong and Deputy Transport Minister Anurak Jureemas.

On July 31, it will rule on a tax evasion case against Pojaman Shinawatra involving her transfer of shares to her brother Bhanapot Damapong.