Thailand: Politics and Government

Mr. Clifton-Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on the (a) likely date for a general election in Thailand and (b) dissolution of Thai Rak Thai political party.

Mr. McCartney
A referendum on the new constitution is due to be held on 19 August. The general election is due to take place on 23 December.

On 30 May the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party was guilty of violating the Political Party Act. As a consequence, the tribunal dissolved the TRT and revoked the political rights of all their executive members at the time of the 2 April 2006 general election for five years. The only right they retained is the right to be an ordinary member of a political party.