Thailand’s disbanded opposition regroups in new anti-establishment party

9/8/2024 16:35

        Thailand's disbanded opposition Move Forward unveiled a new political vehicle on Friday that will be the biggest party in parliament, promising to advance reforms and a controversial plan to amend a law that protects the monarchy from criticism.
        
        The anti-establishment Move Forward, which won most seats in the last election but was blocked from forming a government, was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, which ruled its campaign to reform a law on royal insults risked undermining the constitutional monarchy.
        
        All 143 surviving lawmakers have joined the new party under the leadership of 37-year-old Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, a former cloud software executive who was involved in the innovative digital campaign strategy that earned Move Forward massive youth and urban support.
        
        "We will carry on Move Forward's ideology. The mission for me and the party is to create a government for change in 2027," Natthaphong said, referring to the next election.