Tensions rose in Thailand today as ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a video address to supporters who have been holding daily protests against the country’s coup leaders, and said he was being persecuted by those who replaced him.

A Thai court disbanded the political party of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra today over election law violations.

Thailand’s oldest political party was today cleared of election law violation charges, a verdict that could help restore stability ahead of December elections.

Authorities in Thailand are preparing to stop 99 elephants and thousands of villagers from protesting against the possible dissolution of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s political party.

Hundreds of anti-coup protesters today demanded a quick return to democratic rule in Thailand, in the largest demonstration since former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted from power in September.

Eighteen months ago, tycoon-turned-politician Thaksin Shinawatra won a landslide election victory and became a rising star on the regional stage. Today, he is out of a job after a coup d’etat and considering life in exile.

The military leader who ousted Thailand's prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said today the coup was necessary to end mounting rifts within Thai society and Thaksin's efforts to undermine democracy.

AN army general sacked over an alleged assassination attempt against prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday the plot had been made up by the Thai leader himself.

Thailand’s three election commissioners, seen as close allies of embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, were today sentenced to four years in prison for allowing unqualified candidates to run in parliamentary elections in April.

Thaksin Shinawatra may return as Thailand’s full-time prime minister, ending a break from politics he took last month amid street protests, a government spokesman said today.

The Constitutional Court today annulled Thailand’s April 2 parliamentary election and ordered fresh polls in a bid to end the country’s months-long political crisis, a court official said.

Protesting against the government of outgoing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, voters in southern Thailand wore black and tore up their ballots today, in another round of parliamentary elections to avert a looming constitutional breakdown.

THAI Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday said he had received more than half the votes cast in an election which followed weeks of anti-government protests.

THAIS voted in large numbers yesterday as the embattled prime minister urged citizens to ignore an opposition boycott of parliamentary elections marred by three bombings and a small number of arrests.

Thailand’s Parliament today endorsed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for a second four-year term, following a landslide victory by the former telecommunications tycoon’s party in elections last month.

The Thai prime minister fired his agriculture and defence ministers today as part of a high-level shake-up aimed at tackling a deadly outbreak of bird flu and a bloody separatist insurgency in the Muslim-dominated south.

Election monitors say 84 Thai election winners should be disqualified.

Thailand's ruling Democrats have conceded defeat in the general election after exit polls showed a political party led by a scandal-tainted tycoon was sailing to an easy victory.