Dissolve ruling party,orders Thai poll panel

The battle of wills between the Thai government and tens of thousands of protesters barricaded in the streets of Bangkok...

The battle of wills between the Thai government and tens of thousands of protesters barricaded in the streets of Bangkok appeared to turn in favour of the protesters on Monday when the countrys Army Chief shunned a military solution to the crisis and the Prime Ministers party suddenly and unexpectedly faced the prospect of dissolution.

Two days after repulsing a blood-soaked military crackdown,the protesters cheered jubilantly at the announcement that Thailands Election Commission had recommended that the party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva be disbanded on charges of receiving an illegal donation.

This governments time in power is nearly over, Veera Musikapong,a protest leader,said to throngs of protesters in the commercial heart of the city. Veera and others said they would maintain their demonstrations to press Abhisit to resign.

The announcement came hours after Army Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda appeared to rule out further military action to remove protesters,saying: The situation requires that the problem be solved by politics.

General Anupong also described the dissolution of Parliament,the main goal of the protesters,as a reasonable step. The Generals comments were a stinging blow to Abhisit,who is portrayed by protesters as a puppet of Thailands elite and who came to power 16 months ago as part of a coalition brokered in part by the military.

For the past month,Abhisits besieged government has operated from a military base on the outskirts of the capital as protesters,many of them farmers from the provinces,expanded their debilitating street protests.

Abhisit has appeared increasingly isolated following the failure of the military to dislodge protesters on Saturday after running battles that killed 21 people and made parts of Bangkok resemble a war zone.

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Protesters have put important portions of Thailands capital city beyond the governments control. Armed with sticks and poles,red-shirted protesters have erected checkpoints at major intersections,blocking police and the military.

If I can stop them I will. But if it puts us in danger,we will let them be, said Lt Col Dejapiwat Dejsiri,a senior police official at a precinct in the wealthy Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. Its like there is no law anymore, he said.

The Election Commissions decision on Monday may tip the scales toward the Opposition movement but it is unlikely to resolve the countrys underlying political crisis. The commissions recommendation will be forwarded to the Attorney General and ultimately the countrys Constitutional Court. If found guilty,Abhisits Democrat Party could be dissolved and it leaders,including Abhisit,barred from politics for five years.