Political tensions hover over Thailand king's celebration

Each year they celebrate their beloved king's birthday, a national bash that draws throngs here to watch a parade of royal barges, listen to the monarch's jazz compositions or bow as he passes in his pale yellow Rolls Royce.

This time, as they await King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 81st birthday on Friday, most Thais are wondering what, if anything, the man revered as a demigod will do to lead his subjects out of a dangerous political crisis.

With the capital's two civilian airports shut down by anti-government demonstrators and supporters of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat holding counter-protests to prop him up, fears are growing that the stalemate could erupt in serious street violence.

Tensions are likely to intensify Tuesday if, as expected, the constitutional court finds Somchai's ruling coalition guilty of electoral fraud, which would force him to resign.

His opponents in the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, thousands of whom have occupied the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports since last week, would cheer that as a crucial victory. The prime minister's supporters are already denouncing the expected decision as "a judicial coup."

"We are in a situation where it is hard to find a way out that is going to make everybody happy," said Rungrawee Chalermsripinyorat, Thailand analyst for the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based group that handles conflict resolution.

"Right now, there is an increasing danger of civil strife," she added. "I think both sides, the PAD and the government, have to step back and think for the benefit of the country."

The military, which has said it doesn't want to carry out a coup as it did two years ago, called on Thais to end the crisis before the king's birthday to preserve his peace of mind.

"People say they love the king and they should think twice before doing anything that would let him down," Itthiporn Supawong, commander in chief of the air force, said today. "Don't allow the conflict to expand or lead to some incident that would cause sorrow on this auspicious occasion."

Bhumibol is the world's longest reigning monarch. Although the king has a mostly ceremonial role under the Thai Constitution, he has been called on to help resolve numerous political crises during his 62-year rule.