A Thai court has mandated the dissolution of the reformist party, which secured the most seats and votes in last year’s election but was prevented from forming a government.
The ruling also prohibits Move Forward’s former leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, along with 10 other senior figures, from engaging in politics for a decade.
The verdict from the Constitutional Court was anticipated following its January ruling that Move Forward’s campaign promise to amend royal defamation laws was unconstitutional.
The court stated that proposing changes to the stringent lese majeste law equated to advocating for the destruction of the constitutional monarchy.
Wednesday’s verdict again serves as a stark reminder of how far unelected institutions are willing to go to preserve the power and status of the monarchy.
But the ruling does not mean an end to the reformist movement in Thai politics.
The surviving 142 Move Forward MPs are expected to transfer to another registered party and continue their role as the main opposition in parliament.
Wednesday’s verdict serves as a stark reminder of the extent to which unelected institutions will go to preserve the power and status of the monarchy.
However, this ruling does not signal the end of the reformist movement in Thai politics.
The remaining 142 Move Forward MPs are expected to join another registered party and continue their role as the main opposition in parliament.
“A new journey has begun. Let’s keep walking together, people,” the party said in a message accompanied by a video on its social media platforms.
Chaithawat Tulathon, the leader of the opposition and one of the MPs barred from politics, stood up in the chamber and bid farewell to his colleagues, saying it was an “honor” to work with them.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University, stated that the verdict “may raise the question of whether Thailand is a constitutional monarchy or an absolute monarchy.”
He described the situation as “deja vu on one hand, and uncharted territory on the other.”
This scenario closely mirrors the events of 2020 when the Future Forward Party, which had similarly performed well in an election, was dissolved and subsequently reformed as the Move Forward Party.
The 2020 verdict sparked extensive street protests led by a new generation of student activists. These protests, which lasted six months, included unprecedented demands for increased accountability of the monarchy.
In response, authorities have heavily utilized the lese majeste law to prosecute hundreds of protest leaders, including some Move Forward MPs.
Critics argue that the lese majeste law stifles freedom of expression in Thailand. Move Forward, in its manifesto, proposed less severe punishments—given that sentences have reached up to 50 years—and a more rigorous process for filing charges.
Despite fears among reformists that Move Forward might not perform as well in last year’s election as Future Forward did in 2019, the party surpassed all expectations, emerging as the largest party in parliament. This outcome highlighted a significant desire for change among Thai voters.
However, the military-appointed senate blocked Move Forward from forming a government due to its lese majeste proposals, allowing an 11-party coalition of more conservative parties to take power instead.
With many activists imprisoned, in exile, or facing criminal charges, the large-scale protests seen in 2020 are much less likely today.
Even Move Forward’s mild proposals for a less severe lese majeste law have led to the party being stripped of its top leaders, similar to its predecessor, Future Forward, four years ago.
Those considering organizing protests like those of four years ago are aware they could face harsh penalties under the lese majeste law and other stringent laws in the Thai criminal code.
Thailand’s constitutional court, which has dissolved 34 parties since 2006, has been the principal guardian of the conservative status quo, with the monarchy at its core, protected by a politically assertive military. Unaccountable power is also wielded by palace officials, senior judges, business tycoons, and military and police officers.
Under the military-drafted constitution, the senate plays a decisive role in appointing constitutional court judges and in forming other influential extraparliamentary bodies like the Election Commission and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The previous senate was appointed by the military junta that ruled Thailand from 2014 to 2019, reshaping the political landscape in which parties operate today. It was central to blocking Move Forward from forming a government.
It remains unclear what to expect from the new senate this year, but the unique election system allows only those seeking a seat in the senate to vote for candidates in multiple rounds. This, combined with some murky backroom dealings, has resulted in a new 200-seat senate, most of whom seem to be aligned with a party known for its uncompromising loyalty to the monarchy.