Pita Limjaroenrat, former leader of Thailand’s progressive opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), announced nine defenses on Sunday to counter a case at the Constitutional Court that could potentially lead to the dissolution of the party. The event was broadcast during a press conference where the MFP outlined its legal strategy.
The case, initiated by the Election Commission, accuses the MFP of attempting to amend Thailand’s royal insult law, or “lèse-majesté” law, detailed in Section 112 of the Criminal Code. Specifically, the party sought to reduce sentences for lèse-majesté violations and proposed that complaints should be filed exclusively by the Royal Household Bureau. The Election Commission argues that these proposals violate Section 92 of the organic law on political parties, which prohibits attempts to undermine the constitutional monarchy. Consequently, they are requesting the disbandment of the MFP and the disqualification of its executives from election processes for 10 years.
The petition has been accepted and is pending before the Constitutional Court of Thailand, following a prior ruling on January 31 that deemed the MFP’s efforts to revise the royal insult law illegal (JURIST).
During the press conference, the MFP disclosed its defenses, which address issues such as the Constitutional Court’s jurisdiction and authority, the legality of the petition process, and the relevance of the earlier ruling. The party also emphasized that dissolution should be a last resort and argued for proportionality and consistency in penalties. Limjaroenrat stated his belief that their arguments would prevail if the rule of law is upheld in Thailand.
The lèse-majesté law currently mandates prison sentences of three to 15 years for each insult or defamatory remark against the monarchy. This law has been used to convict and sentence numerous activists, some receiving significant prison terms for their actions.
The MFP is known for its pro-democracy stance and advocates for the separation of military influence from politics. Despite winning a majority of 151 seats in the 2023 general elections, the military-backed Senate blocked Limjaroenrat from assuming the role of prime minister. Limjaroenrat warned that dissolving the MFP would harm democracy in Thailand by weakening the checks and balances on the government (AP News).
For more details, refer to the full article on JURIST.