Thai court dissolves Move Forward, a progressive party that won elections but was barred from power

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court on Wednesday ordered the dissolution of the Move Forward party, which came first in last year’s general election, saying it violated the constitution by proposing to amend a law against defaming the country’s royal family.

The 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 country’s constitutional monarchy.

The Go Forward Party was unable to form a government after winning the elections because members of the Senate, which was at that time a conservative military-appointed body, refused to support its candidate for prime minister.

The Election Commission had filed a petition against the party after The Constitutional Court ruled In January, the movement announced it would stop calling for changes to the law known as Article 112, which protects the monarchy from criticism with penalties of up to 15 years in prison for each offense. The movement insisted it wanted to keep the monarchy above politics and not use it as a political tool.

The court on Wednesday also imposed a 10-year ban on political activity on those who held executive positions in the party during its campaign for the proposed amendment. Among them are its charismatic former leader, Beta limgarwinrat, The current leader is Chaithawatte Tulathon.

Speaking to followers and media on Wednesday evening, Pita said that although he had to say goodbye to politics, he looked forward to continuing his work as an active citizen. He said people may be frustrated today, but he would like to ask them to express their frustration at the ballot box in every election from now on.

He stressed that he is “absolutely proud” of what he has achieved and has no regrets.

“I have left my mark on the universe, and I will make sure to pass the baton to the next generation of leaders,” he said.

Members of a dissolved political party, who have not been banned from politics, can retain their seats in parliament if they switch to a new party within 60 days.

Peta said party members would continue their work “in a new vehicle” that will be presented on Friday, though he will not be part of it. The party declined to provide details of the shift.

Move Forward had 148 MPs in parliament. If they all move together, they will lose five seats belonging to the now-banned party executive.

“We will stick to the same path. A political party is just a means, so let’s wait and see what new party the MPs will join,” said Athaphon Puavat, who gathered with other party supporters at its headquarters in Bangkok.

“You can get rid of the agents and representatives of these people’s beliefs, but you can’t get rid of the beliefs,” Attaphon, a 34-year-old political activist, told The Reporters online news site.

The court’s decision was one of several that drew widespread criticism, and is seen as part of a years-long assault on the country’s progressive movement by conservative forces trying to maintain their grip on power.

The party was stripped of power after the Senate refused to approve its then-leader, Pheu Thai, as prime minister. Unelected senators, who were given the power to vote on prime ministerial candidates under a constitution adopted in 2017 under a military government, said they opposed Pheu because of his intention to reform the royal defamation law. Move Forward was later removed from the coalition formed with the now-ruling Pheu Thai party and became leader of the opposition.

The court rejected Move Forward’s argument that it lacked jurisdiction to rule on the case and that the petition filed by the Election Commission did not follow due process because Move Forward was not given the opportunity to defend itself before it was filed in court.

Human rights organizations and other advocacy groups have expressed concern about the court’s ruling.

“The decision is not surprising, and is unlikely to prompt widespread protests given that Move Forward MPs will remain a force in parliament, albeit under a different banner,” Matthew Wheeler, a regional analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said in an email. “But the decision is another example of how the 2017 constitution, drafted at the behest of the putschists and approved in a flawed referendum, was designed to stifle popular will rather than facilitate its expression.”

Prime Minister Srithapasin stressed that the Thai justice system is fair and impartial, and that the government cannot interfere in the judicial process.

Thailand’s courts, particularly the Constitutional Court, are seen as a bulwark of the country’s royal establishment, which has used them and nominally independent government bodies such as the Election Commission to issue rulings aimed at paralyzing or drowning out political opponents.

In 2020, its predecessor, Move Forward, was dissolved by the Constitutional Court for violating electoral laws regarding donations to political parties. The dissolution of Move Forward, whose promises of reform were particularly attractive to young people disillusioned with years of military rule, highlighted the struggle between the progressive movement and conservative forces.

The issue was also one of the triggers for the youth-led pro-democracy protests that erupted across the country in 2020. The protests openly criticized the monarchy, an institution previously seen as untouchable and a central pillar of Thai society.

The protests have led to harsh prosecutions under Article 112, which had previously been used relatively rarely. Critics say the law is often used as a tool to suppress political dissent.

Move Forward, formed as a new home for lawmakers from the defunct Future Forward party, has campaigned for the amendment and other democratic reforms in the 2023 election. Its first-place finish suggests many voters are ready for change.