A court in Thailand on Wednesday ordered the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, which finished first in last year’s general election, saying it contravened the constitution by proposing an amendment of a law against defaming the country’s royal family.
The Thai Constitutional Court said it voted unanimously to dissolve the party because its campaign proposal to amend the law amounted to an attempt to overthrow the nation’s constitutional monarchy.
The Move Forward Party was unable to form a government after topping the polls because members of the Thai Senate, at that time a military-appointed body, refused to endorse its candidate for prime minister.
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The Thai Election Commission had filed a petition against the party after the court in January ruled that it must stop advocating changes to the law, known as Article 112, which protects the monarchy from criticism with penalties of up to 15 years in jail per offense.
Move Forward has said that it wants to keep the monarchy above politics and not be exploited as a political tool.
The court on Wednesday also imposed a 10-year ban on political activity for those who held the party’s executive positions while it campaigned for the proposed amendment. Among them are its former leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, and current leader Chaithawat Tulathon.
Speaking to supporters and the media on Wednesday evening, Limjaroenrat said although he had to say goodbye as a politician, he looks forward to continuing his work as a citizen.
People might be frustrated today, but they should vent their frustration at the ballot box in every election from now on, he said.
He added that he was “absolutely proud” of what he had achieved and had no regrets.
“I have left my dent in the universe. And I’ll make sure that I pass the baton to the next-generation leaders,” he said.
Lawmakers of a dissolved political party who are not banned from politics can keep their seats in parliament if they move to a new party within 60 days.
Limjaroenrat said that party members would carry on “in a new vehicle” to be introduced today, although he would not be a part of it.
The party declined to announce details of the changeover.
Move Forward had 148 lawmakers in parliament. If they all move together, they would lose five seats belonging to the now-banned party executives.
“We’re going to stick to the same path. A political party is only a vehicle, so let’s wait and see the new party to which the MPs will be going,” said Attaphon Buaphat, who gathered with other party supporters at its headquarters in Bangkok. “You can get rid of the agents, the representatives for these people’s beliefs, but you are not going to be able to get rid of the beliefs.”
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