Three parties were targeted in relation to the community that discussed the referendum on southwestern independence.
13 September 2023 at 19:27 PUBLISHED
A petition calling for the breakdown of the Move Forward Party and two other parties for alleged attempt to topple the constitutional king by encouraging the independence of southern border provinces has been denied by the Constitutional Court.
A fictional discussion of a referendum on independence for the three southwestern border regions, the so-called” Patani State,” was discussed at the meeting of southern student parties on June 7. The three events were the targets of the conversation.
The event was open to members of the Prachachat and Fair events, whose primary help foundation is in the South. Because the other two events were a part of the partnership that it tried in vain to form following the May 14 vote, Move Forward was included in the complaint.
In his plea to the jury, Natthaporn Toprayoon, a lawyer and previous Ombudsman director, claimed that the three parties had taken part in activities planned by individuals or groups with ideas or suggestions to alter the nature of the state.
These activities precisely include promoting territorial separation or greater independence from the kingdom, which would be seen as an attempt to topple the constitutional king with the king as the head of state.
Thailand is a single, undivided Kingdom, according to Chapter 1 of the 2017 Constitution.
According to the court, the three parties’ actions did not violate Area 49, which forbids steps that endanger the king.
Two more significant scenarios involving the Constitutional Court are still before the Move Forward Party and its president, Pita Limjaroenrat. The first is caused by Mr. Pita’s ownership of shares in the former journalist iTV, which may prevent him from running for office as an MP.
Move Forward is charged in the following scenario with” attempting to overthrow the political structure with His Majesty the King as the Head of State.”
The problem, which was submitted by militant attorney Theerayut Suwannakaysorn, is based on the party’s stated goal of amending the Lese-majestest Law, Section 112 of the Criminal Code. A decision against the party might eventually result in its breakdown.
Suwit Thongprasert, once known as the priest Phra Buddha Isara, participated in the Bangkok Shutdown demonstrations against the previous Pheu Thai government that gave rise to the 2014 military coup, and Mr. Theerayut is best known for representing him.