In 2018, Pita first appeared on the political scene as a member of the progressive Future Forward Party ( FFP), which was overthrown in 2020, causing widespread youth-led demonstrations that erupted in Bangkok for months.
At the top of the demonstrations, thousands of people took to the streets, many of whom voiced their demands for transparency and reform in unison.
More than 270 people were charged with lese-majeste after those demonstrations, including two appointed Members.
New York-based Human Rights Watch ( HRW) says the lese-majeste law has been routinely used to silence political dissent.
In accordance with HRW’s 2024 World Report, Thai officials prosecuted at least 258 individuals last year on lese-majeste costs related to activities carried out during demonstrations or comments made on social media.
Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest business, is known for its severe volatility, with a few coups since the ending of absolute monarchy in 1932.