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Thailand PM promises constitutional reforms after lifting state of emergency

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva lifted the emergency rule decree Friday and promised constitutional reforms to bring stability back to Thailand after months of protests and violence. The state of emergency, which went into force on April 11, was an attempt to control the actions of Red Shirts, supporters of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship party. Abhisit has given permission to begin an inquiry into the violent clashes, in which two died and more than 100 were injured. The search also continues for Shinawatra himself, who was last sighted in Liberia meeting with Vice President Joseph Boakai on Friday to discuss business opportunities. Shinawatra, whose Thai passport has been revoked, is traveling on a Nicaraguan passport and avoiding nations where he may be extradited to Thailand to face two years imprisonment on a conflict of interest charge. A warrant for his arrest was issued by a Thai court last week. In Bangkok, the Red Shirts have planned a protest for Saturday. Abhisit took over as prime minister in December, after the Constitutional Court of Thailand ordered the dissolution of the ruling People's Power Party (PPP), and banned then-prime minister Somchai Wongsawat from politics for five years as the result of an election fraud investigation. Shinawatra, ousted as prime minister in a 2006 military coup, was convicted on corruption charges by the Supreme Court of Thailand in October.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 24, 2009 (boomark / email).