Lese majeste law abuse ‘most inappropriate, detrimental’ to monarchy: Pita

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

MOVE FORWARD LEADER/PRIME minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat today (June 27) viewed any abuse of the lese majeste law to thwart his rise to power as “the most inappropriate and detrimental” to the constitutional monarchy.

Pita called on all of his political opponents to reconsider their desperate efforts to groundlessly render him guilty of the draconian lese majeste law, better known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which could otherwise be used as a lame excuse for any of the 250 senators to not pick him for prime minister alongside the Move Forward-led coalition MPs in a joint House/Senate session due in the second week of next month.

Pita maintained that his progressive party had promised during their nationwide electoral campaign to amend the lese majeste law and to not abolish it.

The sought-after amendment to the lese majeste law is primarily designed to keep the highly-revered monarchy from being abused by politicians and others and to promote closer relationship between the monarchy and people, according to the Move Forward leader.

That anyone will still keep the lese majeste law involved in the prime minister-picking process is apparently tantamount to a malignant attempt to keep the monarchy at odds with a majority of voters who unambiguously manifested consensus in support of the Move Forward as the largest elected party, thus being considered the “most inappropriate and detrimental” to the constitutional monarchy, according to the Move Forward leader.

One could possibly accuse any of their opponents of perpetrating a breach to the lese majeste law which may finally lead to a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail tantamount to that for an inadvertent homicide whilst many adolescent political activists have already been arrested and detained for such politically motivated charges, he said.

Pita made his comments in response to sustained speculation that most of the unelected senators will likely either abstain from voting or vote for another contestant for prime minister instead of him on grounds of sustained misgivings in relation to the lese majeste law.

CAPTION:

Residents of Samut Songkhram province warmly greet Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat and MPs accompanying him to thank voters for their big victory in the May 14 election. Photos: Thai Rath