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29 November 2010
Last updated at 02:15 ET
By Rachel Harvey
BBC News, Bangkok
The constitutional court in Thailand is considering its verdict in a case involving the alleged misuse of electoral funds by the governing party.
If found guilty the Democrat Party may be forced to disband and several politicians including the prime minister could be banned from politics.
The prosecution argues the Democrats misspent a grant from the Election Commission during its 2005 campaign.
The case comes at the end of a politically turbulent year in Thailand.
Each side in this politically charged case has delivered its closing arguments. It is now up to the panel of six judges to make a decision.
The political career of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rests in their hands.
He was deputy party leader at the time of the alleged offence.
As such he faces a possible ban from politics and his Democrat Party could be forced to disband if the verdict goes against them.
Two other political parties, both allied to the former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, have been forced to dissolve by court order in recent years.
That is why this latest case is particularly sensitive.
If the court finds in favour of the Democrats, the opposition will almost certainly cry foul, citing the decision as an example of double standards in Thailand's fractured political system.
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If found guilty the Democrat Party may be forced to disband and several politicians including the prime minister could be banned from politics.
The prosecution argues the Democrats misspent a grant from the Election Commission during its 2005 campaign.
The case comes at the end of a politically turbulent year in Thailand.
Each side in this politically charged case has delivered its closing arguments. It is now up to the panel of six judges to make a decision.
The political career of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rests in their hands.
He was deputy party leader at the time of the alleged offence.
As such he faces a possible ban from politics and his Democrat Party could be forced to disband if the verdict goes against them.
Two other political parties, both allied to the former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, have been forced to dissolve by court order in recent years.
That is why this latest case is particularly sensitive.
If the court finds in favour of the Democrats, the opposition will almost certainly cry foul, citing the decision as an example of double standards in Thailand's fractured political system.
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