Top Court Orders Move Forward Party To Halt Its Campaign To Amend Lese Majeste Law

Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled that election front-runners and now the main opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) violated the basic law by pledging to amend the country's strict lese majeste law, ordering the party to halt its campaign to reform the controversial legislation.

• A sword of Damocles will be hanging over the MFP from now on, making it vulnerable to pressure from the governing coalition. While the verdict does not entail the party's imminent dissolution, it entitles the Election Commission to petition the court to disband the party at any time.
• The verdict was announced a week after the Constitutional Court cleared former MFP leader and PM candidate Pita Limjaroenrat of charges in a media shareholding case, allowing him to return to parliament as a lawmaker.
• The MFP's predecessor Future Forward was disbanded for breaching campaign funding laws, while its leader Thanatorn Juangroongruangkit was barred from serving as an MP after the court ruled against him in a similar shareholding case to Pita's.
• MFP executives were not present at the announcement of the verdict today due to the ongoing parliamentary session. They are expected to hold a press conference at 09:00GMT/16:00ICT.