On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court of Thailand issued a ruling that could considerably alter the political landscape of the country by ordering the dissolution of the opposition Move Forward Party and prohibiting its executives from participating in politics for a period of ten years.
The court determined that Move Forward had violated the Political Parties Act by endeavoring to overthrow the democratic regime with the King as Head of State.The party’s actions were perceived as undermining the monarchy’s value and were employed in public speeches and election campaigns.
The court perceived the party’s proposal to amend the lese-majeste law (Section 112) as an attempt to diminish the monarchy’s status.
The ruling impacts party executives who held positions between March 25, 2021, and January 31, 2024. There is a 10-year prohibition on these executives from registering new political parties or participating in party formation.
The decision was made in response to a petition lodged by the Election Commission with the court, in which the Commission accused Move Forward of actions that were detrimental to the democratic system with the King as Head of State.
Despite securing the most seats in the 2023 general election, Move Forward was unable to establish a government.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
