Thailand’s most popular politician was banned from politics for 10 years and his party dissolved on Wednesday over his attempt to reform archaic royal defamation laws.
The Constitutional Court in Bangkok voted “unanimously” to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP) and ban its executive board, which includes its former leader Pita Limjaroenrat, for 10 years, judge Punya Udchachon said.
Pita, 43, led the reformist MFP to a shock first place in a general election last year after striking a chord with young and urban voters with his pledge to reform Thailand’s strict royal defamation law.
“Let’s be sad today for one day but tomorrow we will move on and let’s release the frustration through the next ballot we will cast in the next election,” Pita told a news conference on Wednesday evening.
His bid to become prime minister was blocked by conservative forces in the Senate. A coalition of army-linked parties took office instead under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
The European Union and rights groups blasted the court’s decision, which the EU said harmed democratic openness in Thailand.
“No democratic system can function without a plurality of parties and candidates,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement.
Amnesty International described the decision as “untenable” and said it showed that laws in Thailand were being used to intimidate critics, while the Asian Forum for Human Rights said it posed “serious risks to democratic principles”.
