Thailand PM and ruling party banned
Thailand's Constitutional Court has dissolved the main party in the ruling coalition and banned the prime minister and 36 party executives from politics for five years.
The court on Tuesday found the People's Power Party and its executive members - including Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat -guilty of electoral fraud.
The ruling raises hopes that anti-government protesters, who have been trying to oust the government, will end their siege of the country's two main airports.
Constitutional Court president Chat Chalavorn said the "court has decided to dissolve the party to set a political standard and an example".
He said "dishonest political parties undermine Thailand's democratic system".