Thailand’s election body has said it will seek the dissolution of a pro-reform party that won the most votes in last year’s election, saying there is evidence the party “undermines the democratic system with the king as the head of state”.
Move Forward came top in last year’s election after promising major reforms, including to amend Thailand’s draconian lese-majesty law, under which criticism of the powerful royal family can lead to up to 15 years in prison. However, the party was blocked from taking power by military-appointed senators, and has faced legal cases.
The Election Commission’s latest statement follows a constitutional court ruling in January, which said that Move Forward’s pledge to reform the lese-majesty law was unlawful and that it must cease all such efforts.
In a statement on Tuesday the Election Commission said it had considered the ruling, and decided unanimously to petition the constitutional court to dissolve the party.
“There is evidence that Move Forward undermines the democratic system with the king as the head of state,” the election commission said in a statement.
The constitutional Court will now need to decide whether to accept the case. If the party is dissolved, its leaders could be banned from politics for 10 years.
Parit Wacharasindhu, a spokesperson for Move Forward, said the party’s legal team would “try their best until the last second to prevent the party from being dissolved,” and that proving its innocence would also help “create a proper standard for Thai politics in the future.”
Shutting down political parties is common in Thailand, a country that has a history of military coups. Since 2006, nine political parties have been dissolved – including a previous incarnation of Move Forward, which was called Future Forward. It was dissolved in 2020, a move that helped trigger mass youth-led pro-democracy protests that demanded reform of the political system, and made unprecedented calls for curbs on the power and wealth of the monarchy.
Protest leaders also called for the lese majesty law to be scrapped. Since then, more than 260 people, including children, have been prosecuted under the law.
The lese majesty law has been widely criticised by rights groups, who say it is used to stifle dissent and as a political tool. Cases can be filed by anyone, and the law is interpreted broadly.
Last year, a man was given a reduced sentence of two years for selling satirical calendars featuring cartoon rubber ducks that a court said defamed the king. Another activist was sentenced in 2022 to two years for wearing fancy dress, which was deemed to be mocking the queen. Both are on bail while appealing against their convictions.
In January, a man was given a 50-year prison sentence for criticising the monarchy on Facebook – the longest sentence handed down for the offence, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
Move Forward have denied allegations that they are seeking to overthrow the current system with the king as the head of state, but say amending the lese majesty law is necessary to reflect changing public attitudes, and to keep the monarchy out of politics.
Efforts to change the law are strongly opposed by conservatives, however. Move Forward’s reform pledge was cited by military-appointed senators – who have the power to vote on future leaders – as a reason to block them from taking office last year.
Associated Press contributed to this report
