Politicians win court case

Politicians win court case

BANGKOK (AP): Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that an opposition political party violated the charter by expelling 12 of its lawmakers who defected to the government.

The court's decision means that the 12 members of the Prachakorn Thai (Thai Citizen's) Party will be able to keep their seats in Parliament as members of Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's coalition government.

The fate of the 12, nicknamed "The Cobra Faction" by Prachakorn Thai leaders because of their betrayal, was once crucial to the survival of Chuan's government.

Prachakorn Thai leader Samak Sundaravej is a bitter opponent of Chuan and refused to have his party join the government. But the 12 broke from Samak's leadership and joined the coalition, giving Chuan a slim majority in Parliament and enabling him to become prime minister in November 1997.