Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Hit by Call to Dissolve Ruling Party

(April 12) -- After a weekend of violence that left 21 people dead, Thailand's prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, faced new pressures today that appeared to advance protesters' push toward new elections.

In a surprise announcement, Thailand's election commission called for the dissolution of Abhisit's Democrat Party in the face of allegations that it had received illegal donations.

Earlier, in an equally unexpected announcement, the head of Thailand's army, Gen. Anupong Paochinda, indicated that he was ready to rule out further force to quell the month-long protest.

Athit Perawongmetha, Getty Images

A Red Shirt supporter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra confronts riot police during a funeral procession for the victims of the clashes.

"The situation requires that the problem be solved by politics," he told reporters.

Both developments were seen as victories for the Red Shirt protesters supporting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 and fled the country after being convicted of fraud.

"This government's time in power is nearly over," a protest leader, Veera Musikapong, told crowds of cheering protesters in Bangkok. "This is a victory for us," she added. "Our democracy heroes didn't die in vain."

The election commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the attorney general for consideration by the Constitutional Court.

If found guilty, Abhisit and other party leaders would be forced from office and banned from politics for five years. New elections would then be called, satisfying the Red Shirts' key demand.

The Oxford-educated Abhisit, who was elected to office by Parliament 16 months ago, is seen as a puppet of the military and an advocate for the business elite and Bangkok's middle class. Most of the Red Shirts are made up of the largely poor residents from the rural north, where support for Thaksin's populist policies runs high.

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Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva accused "terrorists" of inciting deadly weekend violence.

Abhisit has called for a ban on violence during the Red Shirt protests, which have led to the taking over of key commercial centers of Bangkok and widespread disruption. Security forces and demonstrators clashed on April 10, with pitched battles leaving 17 civilians and four police officers dead and 800 people injured. In the end, the government forces retreated despite the prime minister's declaration of a national emergency.

Abhisit was subjected to an earlier humiliation last week when Red Shirts forced their way past riot police and soldiers to gain control of a satellite television station that he had ordered closed down. The clash ended with some of the protesters and police shaking hands.

Despite the army chief's apparent withdrawal from an active role in deciding Thailand's political future, the military cannot be counted out in Thailand, where soldiers have staged a total of 18 coups since constitutional monarchy was established in 1932.