Thai opposition leader hopeful in Move Forward's battle for survival

Thai Beverage Public

26/07/2024 05:44

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      Party figurehead says he hopes for judicial fairness
    

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      Hopes dissolution case will be dismissed
    

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      Move Forward was blocked from forming government
    

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      Party also subject of probe that could see 44 members
banned
    

  
    By Panu Wongcha-um and Devjyot Ghoshal
       BANGKOK, July 26 (Reuters) - Thailand's main opposition
figurehead is hopeful his election-winning Move Forward party
will survive an upcoming dissolution case, but warned of the
impact of another investigation that could leave the popular
progressive outfit decimated.
    Pita Limjaroenrat, who led the Move Forward to victory in
last year's election but was blocked from taking power by
army-appointed lawmakers, said Thailand's conservative
establishment was once again flexing its muscle to contain
popular leaders.
    "This is the fifth vicious cycle in 20 years. It's been a
way that the conservative elites have found a way to keep
elected officials at bay," Pita told Reuters in an interview in
an office at parliament, amid the din of lawmakers debating in
its chambers.
    "It's almost like an old record playing the same song over
and over again."
    Thailand's politics has been defined by a relentless
two-decade struggle between its conservative-royalist
establishment, backed by the military, and popular political
parties, including Move Forward.
    In January, the Constitutional Court ruled Move Forward's
plan to amend a law against royal insults that protects the
monarchy from criticism was a hidden effort to undermine the
crown and ordered it to drop its campaign.
    The party now faces potential dissolution by the same court
over the same issue, in a case brought by the election
commission, with a verdict due on Aug. 7. Move Forward denies
wrongdoing.
    "We found that the complaint process (conducted by the
election commission) was legally flawed," Pita said, repeating
arguments that the party has said it submitted in writing to the
court. 
        In this case, the court conducted proceedings behind
closed doors and invited written submissions from both sides.
  
    "I still believe in judicial fairness and judicial
consistency," Pita said, arguing that a similar complaint
considered by the court more than a decade ago was rejected.
    Pita remains Thailand's most popular prime ministerial
choice, polling at 46% in a survey last month ahead of premier
Srettha Thavisin who was backed by only 13% of respondents.    
    
    'VICIOUS CYCLE' 
    The 43-year-old Harvard-educated politician said his party
faces another major challenge from a complaint submitted by
conservative activists to the National Anti-Corruption
Commission.
    The commission hasn't publicly commented on whether or when
it will submit the case to a court.
    It could result in lifetime political bans on 44 current and
former lawmakers for allegedly breaching ethics in backing the
plan to amend the royal insult law, which is among the strictest
laws of its kind in the world. 
    "If we were to be found immoral in our political actions
inside the parliament, we will be banned for life," Pita said.
    "There's no any other penalty."
    That case alone could gravely weaken the progressive
movement that has gained nationwide support for its agenda,
including ending military conscription and breaking up business
monopolies.
    "That will be almost like dissolving opposition in Thai
democracy," Pita said.
    Four Thai political parties, starting with those backed by
former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have been dissolved in
the last two decades. 
    The most recent was Move Forward's forerunner, Future
Forward, which was disbanded in 2020 and had 16 senior members
banned from politics for 10 years for receiving a loan from its
founder. 
    "Maybe it's time to stop this vicious cycle," said Pita. "I
want to prove to the establishment, and also to the world, that
dissolving parties is futile."
    But if it were to prevail over the upcoming challenges, Move
Forward would dive into its legislative agenda, including a
proposed law to open up the $8.6 billion alcohol industry,
currently controlled by Boon Rawd Brewery and ThaiBev  TBEV.SI .
    Boon Rawd declined to comment, while ThaiBev did not
immediately respond to a request for comment. 
    "We are trying to demonopolise the liquor industry," Pita
said, explaining that Thai farmers, such as those growing crops
like sugarcane and rice, would benefit from the liberalisation
without significantly hurting the market share of incumbents.
    "It's a way that we prove that the Thai economy works for
the 99% and not just the top 1%."

 (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by
Martin Petty and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
 ((Devjyot.Ghoshal@thomsonreuters.com;))