Last year, the Move Forward party caused a sensation in Thailand and won the parliamentary elections. However, it still did not come to power. Now it has suffered an even more bitter setback.
Under pressure from conservative forces, the Constitutional Court in Thailand has ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party. The reason for this is that the judges believe the strongest opposition party is endangering the monarchy, local media reported. The former top candidate Pita Limjaroenrat and other leading members are also not allowed to hold political office for the next ten years, it was said.
The Constitutional Court in Thailand had dealt with the case at the request of the Election Commission, which wanted to know whether the party had unconstitutionally campaigned to weaken a strict law on lese majeste.
Clear words from Brussels
The EU has sharply criticized the party’s dissolution. The decision represents a setback for political pluralism in Thailand, said a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. No democratic system can function without a diversity of parties and candidates.
The spokeswoman also pointed out that the Move Forward Party received more than 14 million votes out of a total of 39 million in the parliamentary elections in May 2023, making it the strongest political force.
Party obviously expected decision
The verdict comes as little surprise to political observers and the party itself. Days ago, Move Forward announced that the party had already become an important political institution that would not fall silent even if it were dissolved: “The dissolution of a political party only ends a legal organization, but can never silence its ideology,” it said in a video posted on Facebook.
Move Forward won the parliamentary elections last year by a clear margin, but still failed to gain power. Its charismatic former leading candidate, Pita, was repeatedly rejected as a candidate for prime minister by senators close to the military.
Party bans are not new
The main reason was the democratic party’s plan to change the extremely strict law on lèse majesté, which provides for up to 15 years in prison for those who violate it. After weeks of political turmoil, Pita was ousted by former alliance partner Pheu Thai and its candidate Srettha Thavisin, who was elected head of government in August last year and has been in office since November. Move Forward has been the strongest opposition force since then.
Party bans are nothing new in Thailand: Move Forward’s predecessor, Future Forward, was also banned in 2020. Often, members then simply form a new party. Deputy party leader Sirikanya Tansakul stressed in the Facebook video: “The spirit of Future Forward and Move Forward will remain, no matter what name the party has.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
