Court dissolves ruling Thailand's coalition government

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thailand's Constitutional Court has dissolved the three biggest parties in the ruling coalition and banned the prime minister along with top party executives from politics for five years.

The ruling sinks Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's coalition government, made up of six parties. It also raises hopes that thousands of protesters seeking the government's ouster will end their siege of the country's two main airports.

The court ruled Tuesday that Somchai's People's Power Party, the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai party were guilty of electoral fraud. Somchai and other party executive members were found guilty and banned from politics for five years.

Court President Chat Chalavorn says the ruling will "set a political standard."

- AP