Thailand's Forward Party faces dissolution

Risk of dissolution is present

Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled last week that the Forward Party must abandon its pledge to amend royal defamation laws. The court's nine judges said the MFP's support for changing Article 112 of the country's Criminal Code - also known as the lèse-majesté law - was unconstitutional.

Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat (in white) speaks to supporters in Bangkok last May - Photo: CNN

The law protects Thailand's monarchy from criticism by imposing harsh penalties on those found to be in violation, including up to 15 years in prison for each offense.

Following the court ruling, the MFP has also faced a series of complaints demanding its dissolution and life bans for dozens of lawmakers over the party's stance on the controversial law.

Napon Jatusripitak, a political scientist at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, a Singapore-based Southeast Asia think tank, said the dissolution of Move Forward was a “real possibility.” “There is a very real possibility that MFP will be dissolved. Petitions have been sent to the Election Commission,” he said.

Article 92 of Thailand's Political Parties Act stipulates that if a court finds a political party guilty of seeking to overthrow the Thai monarchy, the election commission can collect evidence and petition the Constitutional Court to consider dissolving the party and banning its members from participating in elections for 10 years.

Will Move Forward be the same as Future Forward?

The possibility of dissolving the MFP comes about nine months after the party entered the 2023 general election for the first time, promising not only changes to the lese majeste law but also other reforms in Thailand.

But the Thai Senate blocked the party from taking power by refusing to approve then-party leader Pita Limjaroenrat as Thailand's prime minister.

Senators said they opposed Pita because he wanted to reform the monarchy, which helped Srettha Thavisin, the candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, which came second in the election, become Thailand's prime minister.

If the Forward Party is dissolved, it would not be the first time in Thailand. Five years ago, the Future Forward Party (FFP) called for reform and ran in the 2019 general election.

However, FFP party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit was disqualified from being a member of parliament because of shares he owned in a media company.

The party was later dissolved by Thailand's Constitutional Court for violating election laws by receiving an illegal loan, and party leaders were subsequently banned from politics for 10 years.

Quang Anh (according to DW, CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dang-tien-len-cua-thai-lan-dung-truoc-nguy-co-giai-the-post283994.html