Disbanded Thai opposition party relaunches under new name, leader

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut (2nd L), leader of the relaunched Thai opposition party "Prachachon," known as "People's Party" in English, joins hands with party members during a press conference at the Thai Summit Tower in Bangkok on August 9, 2024, after the Constitutional Court ruled to dissolve the Move Forward Party for campaigning to reform defamation laws. — AFP pic

BANGKOK, Aug 9 — Thailand’s main opposition party relaunched on Friday with a new name and leader, after its old version won the popular vote in last year’s elections but was forced by a court to disband this week.

The new party will be led by tech entrepreneur Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and known as “Prachachon”, which means “People”, party representative Parit Wacharasindhu told journalists in Bangkok.

The party will be referred to as “People’s Party” in English.

“The reason for this name is because we would like to be a party by the people, from the people, for the people, to move Thailand forward so that people can be the supreme power.”

The Constitutional Court voted unanimously on Wednesday to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP), the vanguard of the country’s youthful pro-democracy movement, and to ban its executive board members from politics for 10 years.

Among those banned was 43-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat, who led the reformist MFP to a surprising first place in a general election last year, after resonating with young and urban voters through his pledge to reform Thailand’s strict royal defamation law.

Pita’s political career was already shaken in March when Thailand’s election commission asked the top court to dissolve the MFP.

That followed a ruling that the party’s pledge to reform the lese-majeste law amounted to an attempt to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.

Lese-majeste charges are extremely serious in Thailand, where King Maha Vajiralongkorn enjoys a quasi-divine status that places him above politics.

The European Union, United States, United Nations and human rights groups blasted the court’s decision, which the EU said harmed democratic openness in Thailand.

‘Change government’

Parit said there was “still space” to talk about the lese-majeste law, even though the Constitutional Court had dissolved the MFP due it campaigning to reform the laws.

“What we saw as a problem in lese-majeste is still a problem now,” Parit said, when asked about the party’s stance on the laws.

Natthaphong, who has more than 10 years of experience in computer science and IT business, according to his Linkedin profile, said he was ready to become Thailand’s next prime minister after the next national election in 2027.

“I’m not perfect but I am ready to improve myself to prepare for the PM role,” said the 37-year-old, who was the only candidate for the role.

“Our mission is to set up the ‘change’ government for the 2027 election.”

Ahead of his banning on Wednesday Pita warned against the weaponisation of Thailand’s judicial system.

In an interview with AFP before the ruling, he said that 33 parties had been dissolved over the past two decades, including “four major ones that were popularly elected”.

Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, is known for its chronic instability, with a dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.

The Constitutional Court is due to deliver another major decision next Wednesday, on accusations that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin violated ethical rules by appointing a minister who had served time in prison.

An unfavourable ruling could force Srettha out of office after just a year. — AFP