Police in Thailand are on high alert as the country’s Constitutional Court decides whether to ban the former ruling party for allegedly violating electoral law last year. The Thai Rak party was in power up until last year’s military-backed coup. It’s now-exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra refused to leave office following the suspect election which was declared void. He also refused to set a date for a new election.

Current Thai Rak Party leader Chaturon Chaisang said that whatever the verdict he is confident he will find a way to continue his political struggle. He and other members of his party face a ban from holding public office for five years. The rival Democrat Party, which lead the opposition to Thai Rak in last year’s election, was also under examination. But Thailand’s Constitutional Court earlier acquitted it of any wrongdoing.

The court is still deciding whether Thai Rak financed obscure small parties to run against it to spread the vote and have a better chance of beating the Democrats. Thailand’s interim government says it will declare a state of emergency if there is any violence following the ruling.

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