Thai protesters gear up for another attempt to oust PM

Some protesters resorted to weapons on Tuesday but harmless ones – toy water guns. Red Shirts and tourists in Bangkok's commercial district ran around splashing each other with water to mark the beginning of the annual Songkran festival.

It was quite a different sight from the deadly confrontation that left over 20 people dead at the weekend and caused dozens of countries to issue travel warnings.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle recommended that German nationals in Bangkok keep to themselves: "We urge travellers to avoid gatherings of people and demonstrations."

The jovial atmosphere at the outset of the three-day water festival was not expected to last, as Red Shirt leaders promised to get back to business on Wednesday. They reiterated their determination to get the government to dissolve parliament and call elections.

Could legal ruling bring down the government?

However, weeks of protests have not deterred the government and there is now speculation that there could be another means of forcing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down.

The Election Commission recommended on Monday that Abhisit's Democrat Party be dissolved because of funding irregularities.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn was audibly shocked when he found out the news but refused to confirm anything: "There are several more legal steps to take. I think they can defend themselves in the Constitutional Court. This is the beginning of a long legal battle. We will not speculate at this point."

If the Constitutional Court were to find the party guilty, Abhisit would have to step down immediately. He came to power in December 2008 after the Supreme Court dissolved a party that was made up of the Red Shirt camp and the army brokered a deal in parliament.

Political etiquette means PM has to step down

Likhit Dhiravegin, a member of the Royal Institute and political expert, is pretty certain that the court will rule against the ruling party.

"There’s no way for the verdict to be otherwise, simply because of the fact that numerous parties have been dissolved before. There will be no exception here. The evidence is so clear according to the information, so I think that the Democrat Party will be dissolved, a number of party executives will be barred from politics for five years, and according to what I call political etiquette, the prime minister has to step down."

Even the army suggested after the weekend's bloodshed that the solution to the ongoing political crisis might well be to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

However, Panitan insisted that the army was behind the government: "General Anupong has no choice but to keep law and order, to keep peace. Our political problems will be handled by our politicians. Political solutions will be achieved through negotiation. A government comes, a government goes but the keep the country stable is the job of the security officials."

It could take months before the court comes to a decision. The Red Shirts do not seem willing to wait.

Author: Anne Thomas
Editor: Disha Uppal