A Move Forward Party election campaign rally in 2023. Photo by Rameshe999. Source: Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0

Thailand’s Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the Move Forward Party (MFP) after it ruled that the group's campaign to amend the royal defamation law — a law which makes it illegal to critique Thailand's king — constituted treason.

MFP secured the highest number of votes in the 2023 election based on a platform of pursuing democratic reforms. One of their promises was to review laws the then-military-backed government weaponized to suppress dissent. MFP got the support of young voters and activists who actively campaigned for the restoration of civilian rule and the amendment of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes disrespect of the monarchy. Despite winning the popular vote, MFP failed to form a government because of opposition from military-appointed members of the Senate.

An excerpt of the court ruling declared that the MFP members, in supporting activists who were pushing for monarchy law reforms, posed a threat to the country’s most revered institution.

It diminishes the protection of the institution, takes advantage of the institution in the hope of gaining votes in order to win the election, and intends to turn the institution into the opponent of the people.

But MFP leader Chaitawat Tulathon denied that their group conspired to attack the monarchy. At the same time, he warned that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent in resolving political debates.

The Constitutional Court’s ruling today has the long-term risk of turning our democratic regime with the King as the Head of State into another type of regime. This is an important implication that we think has a more significant impact than the dissolution of the Move Forward Party.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the former head of MFP and former candidate for prime minister, asserted in a press conference that “preserving a democratic regime with the King as Head of State must embrace diverse opinions in society in solidarity.”

Around 88 student groups from 19 universities across Thailand released a joint statement condemning the dissolution of MFP.

The Constitutional Court should be an organisation that protects the Constitution and constitutional rights. Instead, it is an organisation that expands state power and limits people’s rights and freedoms.

Business groups also expressed concern regarding the economic impact of the ruling. Writer Lynn Sasinpong highlighted how political instability could disrupt the country’s economy.

Political instability in Thailand has historically significantly hindered the country’s economic growth, with frequent changes in government creating an unpredictable business environment and political protests paralyzing key economic areas such as tourism. Such instability has undermined investor confidence and disrupted long-term economic planning, making it challenging to implement consistent and effective policies.

Veteran journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk pointed out the absurdity of “Thai-style democracy”:

…in a democratic society, one would have thought after the people have spoken on the election day, we shall wait for four years to exercise our rights to vote anew to resolve any disagreement about the political course of the kingdom. Not here in Thailand. Voters may feel robbed by rogue generals or by rulings made by the Constitutional Court and the voters will simply have to do much more to guard their political rights. This is the travail that is Thai-style “democracy” today.

Aside from dissolving the MFP, the court ruling effectively banned 11 MFP officials from electoral politics for the next ten years. In an editorial, the Bangkok Post wrote that idealistic young leaders are being “sidelined” while those who led the 2014 coup continue to hold power.

Whether you support them or not, these young and idealistic politicians are a new political resource for the future. What will happen to Thai democracy in the long term if young politicians challenging tradition face political bans?

….coup makers who have shredded charters and repeatedly snubbed democracy have not faced political bans — and, in fact, have thrived — while progressive parties with radical stances perceived as a threat to the monarchy have been sidelined.

The People's Party logo. Image from Wikipedia. Public domain.

It seems MFP anticipated the court ruling since many of its members quickly established a new party called the People’s Party. Its new logo features an inverted orange pyramid made up of three lines, which places the people above their rulers. The three lines represent liberty, equality, and solidarity. Parit Wacharasindhu, MP and former MFP spokesperson, told the media that despite the state crackdown on the opposition, the new party will continue the advocacy work of the dissolved party.

In spite of some people trying to interpret that the verdict meant that the conversation on amending [the royal defamation law] is gone completely. I have to reiterate that that’s not the case. There is still that space to find a workable solution to this issue, and I think this is a question that should be posed to all parties that had, in the past, spoken about this problem.

Before MFP, the Constitutional Court had also ordered the dissolution of opposition parties in 2019 (Thai Raksa Chart Party) and 2020 (Future Forward Party). Each time an opposition party has been crushed, its organizers have reformed under a new banner and slightly altered the logo. The reinvention of these logos and rise of a new opposition party advocating for democratic reforms was depicted in a cartoon by the acclaimed artist, Stephff.

#พรรคประชาชน New Orange Party pic.twitter.com/9sO6CgslTf

— stephff cartoonist (@stephffart) August 9, 2024

The court ruling also prompted several global institutions to express concern about the prospect of democracy in Thailand. In response, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that the ruling should not be subject to interference as it affirmed the country’s decision to pursue its “chosen democratic system.”