Lese Majeste Change Skipped In Draft MoU To Be Signed By MFP-Led Coalition

The draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the eight parties making up a coalition led by the Move Forward Party (MFP) does not include changing Thailand's strict lese majeste law, which was the MFP's key campaign pledge. The details of the agreement were leaked to the press ahead of its public announcement expected this afternoon.

• Some coalition members (Pheu Thai and Thai Sang Thai) distanced themselves from changing the lese majeste law but the draft MoU stipulates that the bloc would propose for a new constitution to be drafted by directly elected officials.
• The coalition will also call for reforms of the bureaucracy, the police, the military and the judiciary, while proposing economic reforms including budgetary decentralisation and a crackdown on monopolies.
• Thai PBS reports that the coalition is planning to sign the MoU today at 16:30, the time when outgoing Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha launched a military coup exactly nine years ago.
• The coalition continues to work on a joint strategy, even as it remains uncertain if iit will manage to form a government. The Senate remains under pressure to respect the popular vote, with pro-democracy groups expected to hold protests this afternoon.