Quote:Watch 8pm news

A group of senior Administrative Court Judges have been granted an audience with HM the King at Chitralada Palace on Thursday.

Details of the audience will be broadcast in the 8pm news of all television stations.

This was the main headline on the Nation website with a big "Urgent" banner. Anyone have any other information?

I did find this on the Thai News Agency.

Quote:HM the King: Be prepared for crucial verdict

BANGKOK, May 24 (TNA) - 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. -(TNA)

From the nation

Quote: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.

From the Post

Quote:King tells judges of his concern
HM speaks ahead of poll fraud verdicts

His Majesty the King yesterday expressed concern over the forthcoming verdicts in electoral fraud cases that could dissolve the country's two main political parties, saying the decisions would have an impact on a nation already in political turmoil. The monarch made the statement while granting an audience to Administrative Court judges.

His comments referred to the work of the Constitution Tribunal, which is due to deliver its verdict on May 30 on whether the former ruling Thai Rak Thai party and the Democrat party violated election laws last year _ offences that could lead to the parties being disbanded.

He urged the judges to offer their comments, at least in private, on the ruling that will be made by their fellow judges of the Constitution Tribunal.

Concern has been expressed by the media and some public figures that disorder may result from the tribunal's decision, particularly if it decides to dissolve the Thai Rak Thai party set up by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Members of the judiciary have come under heavy criticism, and therefore the Administrative Court judges should find ways to protect their fellow judges of other courts, the King said.

''I urge you to prepare yourself to be ready to criticise or be criticised in the capacity of learned men, to prevent the country from falling into a crisis. If you don't do anything, the country will fall,'' His Majesty said.

The King said the Administrative Court judges should at least form an opinion in their minds as to whether the tribunal had carried out its duty properly in the party dissolution cases.

He said their comments are needed and if they cannot make public their opinions on the matter, they may offer them to the tribunal judges in person.

His Majesty said he had no right to comment on whether the tribunal is right or wrong in its decisions.

However, the King said he already has in mind a judgment on the matter, although he cannot speak out on it.

Meanwhile, the government yesterday warned that the ''old power clique'' intends to stir up confrontation which may lead to violence after Wednesday's verdict.

Prasarn Marukhapitak, chairman of the government's sub-panel on public relations, said mobilisation of supporters of the ''big boss'' was under way. Though he did not name the boss, it is understood that he was referring to Mr Thaksin.He told the public to stay alert for possible violence when the tribunal issues its final verdict, which will be broadcast live on national radio and television.

The old power clique had been in contact with its supporters in the upper northern provinces, northeastern provinces and Bangkok's neighbouring provinces, particularly Samut Prakan, he said.

It had paid a large amount of money, up to 60 million baht in total, to supporters through group leaders to get people to attend a rally in the capital.

Supporters from the North and Northeast are expected to arrive in Bangkok on May 28 or 29, Mr Prasarn said.

The Second Army and Nakhon Ratchasima police yesterday set up checkpoints to bar prospective protesters from the northeastern provinces from entering Bangkok, an army source said, adding the protesters were likely to split into small groups to avoid attracting attention. Only travellers who were able to prove that their journey was unrelated to the protest would be allowed to pass the checkpoints, which would run around the clock.

Meanwhile, taxi drivers, many of whom support Mr Thaksin, are preparing to hold a lights-on campaign ahead of the reading of the verdict next Wednesday.

Shinawat Habunphad, president of the Taxi Drivers Protection Association, said the five-day campaign, during which taxi drivers will keep their headlights turned on at all hours, will run from May 27 to 31. On May 31, several thousand taxi drivers would join a gathering at the Royal Plaza, led by PTV, he said. However, he claimed that the activity had nothing to do with the Constitution Tribunal's verdict on the party dissolution case.

''The lights-on campaign aims to show the taxi drivers' disapproval of the coup-engineered constitution,'' he said.

Mr Shinawat said around 6,500 taxi drivers were expected to join the campaign

This is starting to look like dark clouds on the horizon......

I do notice that thaksin, who said he is finished with politics, is not doing very much to temper possible demonstrations...