Move Forward Party (MFP) MPs have confirmed they will push for an amendment to the lese majeste law because their party promised to do so during their election campaign, and voters had supported them.
MFP list MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn wrote on social media that his party would keep the promises it made to people; otherwise, people would no longer support them.
“If we break our promises in order to ascend to power, the people who are the boss and have been on our side will abandon and even curse us,” he wrote.
Mr Wiroj was apparently responding to some parliamentarians’ recent suggestion that they would vote for MFP prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroensuk if the party backed down on its Section 112 amendment plan.
Mr Wiroj promised that amending Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, would be done carefully, all parties concerned would have their say and MFP would amend it in compliance with parliamentary rules.
The change would take time, he wrote.
Move Forward MP for Bangkok Sasinan Thammanithinan said the party had promised people during its election campaign that it would amend the law. Its victory in the May 14 general election showed that people agreed with the party, he said.
The amendment might not be a priority in the first few years of the new government but MFP wanted at least to start the process regardless of its outcome, he said.