Politics Thailand faces politically groundbreaking weeks

Thailand is facing two politically groundbreaking weeks. Next week, on Wednesday, August 7, the Constitutional Court will decide whether to dissolve the progressive Move Forward party, which clearly won the parliamentary elections last year. Just one week later, the political future of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who could be removed from office by the Constitutional Court, will be at stake.

In the first case, the court must examine whether Move Forward is unconstitutional at the request of the Electoral Commission because the party has campaigned for the strict law on lèse majesté to be relaxed. This provides for up to 15 years in prison for violations and has long been controversial among democratic forces in the country. Bans on uncomfortable parties are nothing new in Thailand. Move Forward's predecessor, Future Forward, was also banned in 2020.

Party does not want to give up

The party leaders were combative and announced in a video on Facebook at the weekend that the party would not fall silent even if it was dissolved: "The dissolution of a political party only ends a legal organization, but can never silence its ideology," they said.

Although Move Forward won the most votes in the parliamentary elections, it did not come to power in the end. Its leading candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, was repeatedly rejected as a candidate for prime minister by senators with close ties to the military.

Possible impeachment?

After weeks of political turmoil, Pita was finally booted out by former alliance partner Pheu Thai and their candidate Srettha Thavisin, who was elected head of government in August last year. However, Thavisin himself is now under threat again.

Dozens of senators with close ties to the military filed a lawsuit against the former real estate mogul in May, accusing him of violating regulations by appointing politician Phichit Chuenban as minister - as he has a criminal record.

Phichit was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in 2008 for contempt of court in a bribery scandal. If Srettha is disqualified, the kingdom will once again be facing troubled times. Anutin Charnvirakul, the deputy prime minister and leader of the Bhumjaithai party, is already being touted as a possible new prime minister.

SDA