MFP submits defence to court in dissolution case

The Move Forward Party (MFP) submitted its written defence to the Constitutional Court regarding the dissolution case initiated by the Election Commission (EC), according to a source.

The EC called for the dissolution of the MFP following a Constitutional Court ruling on January 31, which stated that the party’s efforts to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, were aimed at undermining the constitutional monarchy.

The court’s decision provided grounds for the EC to seek the party’s dissolution.

The Constitutional Court accepted the EC’s petition on April 3. The MFP’s defence was submitted on the last permissible day, following three extensions granted at the party’s request.

The defence document was proofread on Monday night before the party’s legal team submitted it to the court on Tuesday, as mentioned by the same source.

The central argument in the written defence is that the MFP never intended to undermine the democratic regime with the king as head of state.

The party contends that its actions, deemed hostile to the constitutional monarchy in the January 31 ruling, were not fully realised.

MFP spokesperson and party-list MP, Parit Wacharasindhu, stated that the party plans to hold a press conference on Sunday to reveal more details about the defence submission.

He added that the party would also clarify the legal grounds on which it is contesting the case.

When questioned about the timing of the press conference, which coincides with district-level voting in the Senate election, Parit explained that Sunday was the most convenient time for the event, reported Bangkok Post.

In other news, Thanya Buri Provincial Court sentenced Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Chonthicha Jangrew to two years in prison for royal defamation under Section 112 of the Criminal Code.

The verdict, delivered on May 27, originally imposed a three-year sentence but was subsequently reduced to two years with no suspension. Another charge against Chonthicha for violating the emergency decree on public gatherings was dismissed by the court.