Australia has expressed concern over the political situation in Thailand following the Constitutional Court’s nine-judge decision to dissolve the main opposition, the Move Forward Party.
It has since reformed into a new party called the People’s Party, with Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut being elected its new leader.
The court banned Pita Limjaroenrat, the party’s former leader, including 10 other leading members from political involvement for 10 years over their attempt to reform Thailand’s royal defamation laws.
During its campaign, the party campaigned to reduce the punishments for those who criticise the country’s monarchy by amending the lese-majeste law.
The party won 151 out of 500 seats in the parliament’s lower house. However, it could not form a government because it did not receive enough votes in the Senate, which was appointed by military leaders.
In January, a court found that Move Forward Party’s campaign promise to amend the law unconstitutional, arguing that such a change would undermine the governance system with the king as head of state.
“Australia believes that inclusivity, pluralism, and freedom of expression are key democratic principles,” Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said in a statement.
“As a close friend, Australia encourages Thailand to ensure inclusive political participation that reflects the will of the people.”
Move Forward Party is the second to be banned from participating in Thai politics in recent years after the Constitutional Court also dissolved the party’s predecessor, the Future Forward Party, over allegations it accepted an illegal loan from its leader.
Since Aug. 9, the Move Forward Party has disbanded and relaunched under a new name, the People’s Party, which pledges to continue pushing for reforms, including amending the royal defamation laws.
It is led by 37-year-old Ruengpanyawut, a former party member of predecessors, the Future Forward and Move Forward parties.
Lawmaker Parit Wacharasindhu announced that the reformed party would be named the People’s Party because it wants to be “a party from the people and for the people, and to work on creating a Thailand where absolute power belongs to the people.”
