A prominent political activist has warned that if the Constitutional Court rules to dissolve the Move Forward Party, Thailand’s attempt to join the United Nations Human Rights Council could fail.
For the third time.
Chamnan Chanruang of the Progressive Movement was referencing a ruling to be announced by the constitutional court tomorrow, August 7.
The Progressive Movement is led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of the Future Forward Party, itself a casualty of the court, which dissolved it in 2020.
The court is considering a petition submitted by the Election Commission that the Move Forward Party be dissolved over a 2023 general election campaign pledge to amend the lèse majesté law.
The party went on to win the most votes in the May 2023 general election, but it, and then leader Pita Limjaroenrat, was prevented from forming a government by various machinations of the conservative old guard, including unelected senators ultimately deciding who would be the kingdom’s new PM.
Meanwhile, in October, Thailand will once again bid to join the UNHRC for 2025-2027. In light of this, Chamnan warns that ruling to dissolve the country’s most popular political party may not be the wisest of moves.
Thailand’s last attempt to secure a seat on the UNHRC was rejected due to the 2014 military coup which ousted the democratically elected government of the time, in addition to the slew of human rights violations that followed and the political weaponsing of the lèse majesté law.
Chamnan also points out that in September, Thailand will host the 6th symposium of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions. This event will be attended by the presidents of charter courts and similar bodies from 19 countries.
Chamnan questions how the president of Thailand’s Constitutional Court might face his foreign counterparts should the court rule to dissolve the Move Forward Party.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
