Bangkok's Constitutional Court rules lese-majesty law untouchable

The court has ordered the progressive Move Forward party to put an end to attempts to change the law, which is seen as an overthrow of the monarchy. This could be followed by a ruling on the possible dissolution of the political formation, an eventuality that had generated street protests by young people in 2020.

Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Thailand's Constitutional Court has ruled that the plans to amend the lèse-majesté law amount to an attempt to overthrow the monarchy, so it has ordered the progressive party Move Forward to end its campaign on the issue.

Although the ruling did not produce any immediate sanctions, it could lead to the dissolution of the party which, led by 43-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat, won the elections last year.

During the election campaign, Move Forward had proposed a change to article 112 of the penal code, which provides for up to 15 years in prison for insults to the king and other members of the royal family.

The lèse-majesté law is considered sacrosanct by a part of the conservative population, who considers it central to Thai identity. In fact, the constitutional charter states that the king of Thailand is the object of a "venerated cult".

But in reality the legislation is often used by the conservative ruling elite to repress dissent and imprison human rights activists, because anyone can file a complaint against anyone else.

Over the past 4 years, at least 260 people have been investigated under the law and dozens of minors have also been arrested. The Move Forward Party had proposed a reduction in sentences and the obligation for the monarchy to file a complaint.

Despite the hopes of Thai society (especially young people and urban dwellers) to see democratic change, pro-monarchist members of Parliament and the Senate (whose members were appointed by the previously ruling military junta) have implied that any type of amendment to the lèse majesté law will not find space in the political debate, making the law, in fact, untouchable.

Now a ruling from the Constitutional Court regarding the possible dissolution of the party could follow: Move Forward's predecessor, the Future Forward Party, which had put forward similar progressive proposals, was dissolved in 2020, officially for violating campaign finance rules election, and its leaders were excluded from political life for 10 years.

An event that then generated large street protests and saw the participation of tens of hundreds of young people and very young people.

According to Human Rights Watch, now even the 44 progressive parliamentarians who signed the proposal to amend Article 112, including Pita, could now be banned from politics for life for violating the parliamentarians' code of ethics.

Only a week ago the former party leader was acquitted of charges that had hindered his nomination as prime minister and prevented him from forming a government, despite the fact that Move Forward had received 14.4 million votes in the May 2023 polls ( out of a population of 71.6 million). Since last Thursday, Pita has returned to Parliament to occupy his seat.

• thailand
• lese majeste
• constitutional court
• move forward party
• ruling
• judgment
• party
• progressives