Members of Thailand’s Move Forward Party say they’ve regrouped and will pursue their pro-democracy activities under a new name. This comes after the Thai Constitutional Court ordered Move Forward to dissolve.
The new group is named People’s Party and claims about 140 members. This makes them the largest opposition force in the Lower House. They plan to take over the policies of the former party.
Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut says they are not making changes to accommodate the older parties, but will make changes for the sake of Thailand, to create better politics and a better society.
Move Forward polled first in last year’s general election, and remains popular. But the Constitutional Court concluded that its pledge to amend the royal defamation law threatened to undermine the role of the monarchy. The court said this could lead to the overthrow of the democratic regime headed by the king. The law makes it illegal to insult the royal family.
Former party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and several senior colleagues have been barred from political activities for 10 years.
The Move Forward Party itself was the successor to the progressive Future Forward Party, which made significant gains in the 2019 general election, before it was also ordered to dissolve. Western countries including the US have expressed deep concern about the dissolution of the Move Forward Party.