By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE MOVE FORWARD TODAY (July 20) encouraged their supporters to gather at the party’s headquarters on Aug. 7 – the date on which the Constitutional Court is scheduled to judge on a lese majeste lawsuit which could possibly result in a dissolution of the reformist camp.
Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon strongly suggested supporters and other people get together peacefully on an open ground just outside the party’s headquarters in Hua Mark area on Aug. 7 instead of flocking around the perimeters of the Constitutional Court in Chaeng Wattana area where, he said, security measures would likely be tightened, rendering inconvenience for members of the public that day.
All Move Forward MPs will attend a weekly House meeting at parliament on Aug. 7 and then leave for the party’s headquarters to join the supporters and others, Chaithawat said.
The Constitutional Court which has categorically refused to hold hearings on the highly contentious case will deliver a final ruling on whether the Move Forward had breached the lese majeste law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, as earlier accused by the Election Commission by publicly pushing for amendment to the draconian law in purported effort to promote human rights and freedom of expression under democratic rule.
The Move Forward has invariably contended that politicians and parties had occasionally abused the lese majeste law only to unduly persecute their political enemies or those who may have opposing views and virtually keep the highly-revered monarchy far apart from the people whilst the sought-after amendment was primarily designed to bring justice to all sectors of society and render a relatively close relationship between the monarchy and people throughout the country.
Hundreds of political activists, mostly being adolescents, have been earlier arrested, detained and denied bail on charges of violating the lese majeste law during sporadic, mass protests in Bangkok streets.
The Move Forward leadership has categorically dismissed the accusations lodged by the polling agency and maintained that they had had no hidden design to undermine the country’s rule as earlier charged by the Election Commission which had filed the contentious lawsuit against the reformist party.
The Constitutional Court had earlier determined the Move Forward’s pro-amendment moves as being tantamount to “an erosive act which could possibly lead to an undermining of rule unless immediately put to an end.”
Nevertheless, if finally judged guilty by court of the lese majeste charges, the Move Forward could possibly be dissolved immediately and all members of the party’s executive board, either former or current, who were assuming the posts at the times when the pro-amendment moves were publicly made could possibly be prohibited from further assuming any political positions at any levels for a 10-year period.
That refers to, among others, former Move Forward leader/current Move Forward MP Pita Limjaroenrat, Move Forward Secretary-General Apichart Sirisuntorn, Move Forward MP Sirikanya Tansakun, Deputy House Speaker Padipat Santipada and the current Move Forward leader Chaithawat.
In the meantime, Chaithawat reassured today that nobody among the party’s rank and file would be overly appalled or seriously upset in the face of the possibility of an imminent dissolution of their party whilst plans and schemes have already been laid out for them all to follow, regardless of Aug. 7’s court ruling.
Pita repeatedly commented that he had never preoccupied himself with fear, uncertainty and doubt over the imminent court ruling, no matter if it would yield either good or bad results to his partisan colleagues and himself.
The former Move Forward leader has earlier said the Move Forward has gradually mapped out action plans to follow in the course of the people’s better benefits and the country’s economic prosperity beyond the next general election.
“It is not just the next election after which we may have planned what to do. Indeed, we have mapped out projects to run in the next 20 or 30 years,” Pita said.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon. Photos: Thai Rath
Insert: Move Forward victory parade in Nonthaburi after the general election in May last year. Photo: Thai Rath
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