Suthep Thaugsuban, Thailand’s deputy prime minister, has resigned from parliament after being accused of breaching conflict of interest laws.

Mr Suthep, who is a key member of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s leadership team, had been named by the Electoral Commission as one of 13 Democrat party MPs whom it concluded had contravened laws which prohibit members of parliament from holding shares in companies involved in state concessions or the media.