Thai court bans popular politician, dissolves party
Published: 04:08 PM,Aug 07,2024 | EDITED : 08:08 PM,Aug 07,2024
Former Thai prime ministerial candidate and ex-Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat (C) takes part in a press conference, in Bangkok. — AFP
BANGKOK: Thailand's most popular politician was banned from politics for 10 years and his party dissolved on Wednesday over his attempt to reform archaic royal defamation laws.
The Constitutional Court in Bangkok voted 'unanimously' to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP) and ban its executive board, which includes its former leader Pita Limjaroenrat, for 10 years, judge Punya Udchachon said. Pita, 43, led the MFP to a shock first place in a general election last year after striking a chord with young and urban voters with his pledge to reform Thailand's strict royal defamation law. 'Let's be sad today for one day but tomorrow we will move on and let's release the frustration through the next ballot we will cast in the next election,' Pita told a news conference on Wednesday evening.
His bid to become prime minister was blocked by conservative forces in the Senate. A coalition of army-linked parties took office instead under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Pita appeared in parliament in high spirits earlier on Wednesday, telling lawmakers he had faith in the kingdom's legal process.
He warned against the weaponisation of Thailand's judicial system, saying in an interview with AFP before the ruling that 33 parties had been dissolved over the past two decades, including 'four major ones that were popularly elected'. 'We should not normalise this behaviour or accept the use of a politicised court as a weapon to destroy political parties,' he said.
The MFP has 148 seats in Thailand's 500-seat parliament and Pita said its executive would form a new vehicle if the party was dissolved. The MFP later said it would be relaunched on Friday.
Pita first appeared on the political scene in 2018 as part of the progressive Future Forward Party (FFP), which was dissolved in 2020, sparking mass youth-led demonstrations that shook Bangkok for months. Tens of thousands took to the streets at the height of the protests, many making unprecedented public criticism of the royal family as well as demands for transparency and reform.
More than 270 people were charged with lese-majeste after those protests, including two elected MPs. — AFP
The Constitutional Court in Bangkok voted 'unanimously' to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP) and ban its executive board, which includes its former leader Pita Limjaroenrat, for 10 years, judge Punya Udchachon said. Pita, 43, led the MFP to a shock first place in a general election last year after striking a chord with young and urban voters with his pledge to reform Thailand's strict royal defamation law. 'Let's be sad today for one day but tomorrow we will move on and let's release the frustration through the next ballot we will cast in the next election,' Pita told a news conference on Wednesday evening.
His bid to become prime minister was blocked by conservative forces in the Senate. A coalition of army-linked parties took office instead under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Pita appeared in parliament in high spirits earlier on Wednesday, telling lawmakers he had faith in the kingdom's legal process.
He warned against the weaponisation of Thailand's judicial system, saying in an interview with AFP before the ruling that 33 parties had been dissolved over the past two decades, including 'four major ones that were popularly elected'. 'We should not normalise this behaviour or accept the use of a politicised court as a weapon to destroy political parties,' he said.
The MFP has 148 seats in Thailand's 500-seat parliament and Pita said its executive would form a new vehicle if the party was dissolved. The MFP later said it would be relaunched on Friday.
Pita first appeared on the political scene in 2018 as part of the progressive Future Forward Party (FFP), which was dissolved in 2020, sparking mass youth-led demonstrations that shook Bangkok for months. Tens of thousands took to the streets at the height of the protests, many making unprecedented public criticism of the royal family as well as demands for transparency and reform.
More than 270 people were charged with lese-majeste after those protests, including two elected MPs. — AFP