Thai court dissolves reformist party that won election

BBC | A Thai court has ordered the dissolution of the reformist party which won the most seats and votes in last year’s election - but was blocked from forming a government.

The ruling also banned Move Forward's charismatic, young former leader Pita Limjaroenrat and 10 other senior figures from politics for 10 years.

The verdict from the Constitutional Court was expected, after its ruling in January that Move Forward’s campaign promise to change royal defamation laws was unconstitutional.

The court had said changes to the notoriously harsh lese majeste law was tantamount to calling for the destruction of the constitutional monarchy.

Wednesday's verdict again serves as a stark reminder of how far unelected institutions are willing to go to preserve the power and status of the monarchy.

But the ruling does not mean an end to the reformist movement in Thai politics.

The surviving 142 Move Forward MPs are expected to transfer to another registered party and continue their role as the main opposition in parliament.

"A new journey has begun. Let’s keep walking together, people," the party said in a message accompanied by a video on its social media platforms.

Chaithawat Tulathon, the leader of the opposition and one of the MPs barred from politics, stood up in the chamber and bid farewell to his colleagues, saying it was an "honor" to work with them.

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