The Move Forward Party (Thai: พรรคก้าวไกล, RTGS: Phak Kao Klai, pronounced[pʰákkâːwklāj]ⓘ) was a social democratic and progressive political party in Thailand. Its flagship agenda was to amend Thailand's strict lèse-majesté laws, which forbid the insult of the monarchy.[23] It opposed the remaining influence of the military junta which ruled the country from 2014 to 2019. It was founded in 2014 as the Ruam Pattana Chart Thai Party (Thai: พรรคร่วมพัฒนาชาติไทย) and later changed its name to the Phung Luang Party (Thai: พรรคผึ้งหลวง), but after the 2019 Thai general election, reverted to its original name. It obtained its current name in 2020 after becoming the de facto successor to the dissolved Future Forward Party. The party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on 7 August 2024[24] for violating the constitution by proposing an amendment of a law against insulting the monarchy known as Article 112.[25][26] The party is succeeded by the People's Party (พรรคประชาชน), with Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut as the party leader.[27]
History
The party was officially founded on 1 May 2014 as the Ruam Pattana Chart Thai Party.[28]
In early 2020, the party became a de facto successor to the Future Forward Party, which had been dissolved by a controversial Constitutional Court order, as following the decision, 55 of Future Forward's 65 MPs (led by Pita Limjaroenrat) announced their plan to join. They vowed to continue the progressive and anti-junta agenda of Future Forward. The party's name was then changed to Move Forward, along with the release of a new logo similar to that of Future Forward.[29]
2023 election
The party won 36.23 percent of the vote in the 2023 general election, gaining 151 seats and becoming the largest party in the House of Representatives, which caused a major electoral upset.[30] Following this success, MFP and seven other parties announced the formation of a coalition aiming to form a government with Pita as prime minister. While the coalition controlled a majority in the lower house, this was not enough to secure the premiership as under the military-drafted constitution, the prime minister is elected by both the elected lower house and the military-appointed senate,[31] and Pita lost his bid to become prime minister on 13 July 2023 after failing to secure enough votes in Parliament. He received 324 votes, 51 votes short of the 375 vote threshold. He also received 182 votes against him with 199 abstentions. In the Senate, where he faced the most opposition, he received 13 votes.[32][33] Shortly after this, several protests were held in Bangkok in support of Move Forward and Pita, with smaller protests taking place in Phuket.[33]
On 19 July, Pita was suspended from being a MP by the Constitutional Court of Thailand over his shares in the defunct broadcaster ITV he inherited from his father Pongsak Limjaroenrat. While this did not disqualify him from becoming prime minister, Parliament decided on the same day that parliamentary regulations did not allow re-nomination of a failed candidate.[34][35] Move Forward had previously stated that should it become clear it will not win, the party would instead allow coalition partner Pheu Thai Party, who won the second most votes in the 2023 election, to nominate their own candidate, most likely Paetongtarn Shinawatra or Srettha Thavisin.[36] After holding talks with other parties, who expressed unwillingness to support any coalition including Move Forward, Pheu Thai announced that it would break up the eight-party coalition and instead attempt to form a coalition that excludes Move Forward.[37]
On 15 August, Chaithawat Tulathon announced that the party would not vote of a Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister.[38] This was a result of Pheu Thai planning to expand its coalition to include more conservative parties, such as Bhumjaithai, and parties that supported the military junta, such as United Thai Nation and Palang Pracharat, with Move Forward stating that it was not the will of the people.[39]
On 25 August, Sripatum University and D-vote published a poll results conducted between 22 and 24 August on the topic of "If there is an election today, Which party will you vote for?". Move Forward has gained a significant amount of support by over 62.39% since Pheu Thai split with Move Forward in the government formation and formed a government with pro-junta parties.[40]
On 23 September 2023 at a party general meeting, Chaithawat Tulathon was elected as the new leader of the Move Forward Party to succeed Pita Limjaroenrat, who stepped down earlier this month due to continuing uncertainty about his status as an MP. Apichart Sirisunthon was appointed as the new secretary-general, taking over from Mr Chaithawat. Additionally, Mr. Pita assumed the role of chairman in a newly formed three-member advisory group. Phicharn Chaowapattanawong, Nattawut Buaprathum, Supisan Phakdeenarunat and Sirikanya Tansakun were named deputy party leaders and Parit Watcharasindhu as the party's spokesperson.[41]
2023 sexual assault scandal
Two MFP MPs, Wuttiphong Thonglour of Prachinburi province and Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit of Bangkok, were found guilty of sexual assault. After a meeting between the party executive committee members and MPs, MFP leader Chaithawat Tulathon announced that the party had reached a consensus, agreeing that the two members found guilty should be expelled from the party. As per the constitution of Thailand, a three-fourth majority vote within the party is required to expel a party member . The case of Wuttiphong Thonglour garnered majority agreement and he was promptly expelled. The case of Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit, did not attain a sufficient vote, disciplinary action was taken against Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit, which included a public apology and financial compensation to the victim.[42] However, Chaiyamparwaan was later expelled from the party due to allegations of revealing the victim's identity, thereby violating the conditions set forth by the Move Forward Party.[43]
On the party's stance on amending lèse-majesté laws
In the run-up for a verdict by the Constitutional Court on whether the party's lèse-majesté policies were constitutional, the MFP was confident that the court would side with them.[45] However, the ruling by the Constitutional Court on 31 January ruled that the party and its leaders violated Thailand's constitution through its campaign to amend the country's strict lèse-majesté laws. The nine-member court ruled unanimously that the MFP's attempts to amend the law amounted to an attempt to overthrow the monarchy.[46] The court ordered the party to "stop any act, opinion expression via speech, writing, publishing or advertisement or conveying any message in other forms" that sought to amend the law.[47] The issue had been petitioned to the court by Theerayut Suwannakasorn.[45]
According to CNN, the ruling opened the way for the party's dissolution, similar to its predecessor the Future Forward Party.[47] Thai political activist and member of the Palang Pracharath Party, Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, has said he was preparing to go to the election commission (EC) on 1 February to seek the party's dissolution. Ruangkrai had previously twice petitioned the EC in 2023 to dissolve the party over it attempts the amend Section 112, and also filed the complaint against Pita over his iTV shares. Due to the court's ruling, the EC must accept Ruangkrai's petition as it represented a breach of Section 92 of the Political Parties Act which stated that the EC must propose any party's dissolution to the Constitutional Court after an act deemed hostile to the monarchy.[48] The former election commissioner, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, said that dissolution faces several consquencies for party executives responsible for proposing the policy in 2021.[49]
In response, MFP lawmaker Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn said that the movement to amend the lèse-majesté laws would continue even if the party is dissolved, saying that "the word 'party' has already become an ideology".[47] Chaithawat Tulathon said that the verdict risked the monarchy becoming a bigger point of conflict in Thai politics, while Pita told reports after the ruling that the party's policy wasn't meant to cause any deterioration to the monarchy.[46]
The ruling also opens the possibility that no political party in Thailand could ever legally push for amending the law.[50] Munin Pongsapan, associate professor at Thammasat University's Faculty of Law, said that it "effectively mean that the lese majeste law would become untouchable."[47]
In March 2024, Election Commission of Thailand approved a resolution requesting the Constitutional Court to disband the Move Forward Party, based on the court's ruling.[51]
In August 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled for the dissolution of the party as well as a 10-year-long ban from politics on eleven former and current party executives. The 143 party-affiliated lawmakers serving in the Thai parliament can retain their seats, but must find a new party within 60 days.[52]
The Move Forward Party was a progressive centre-left political party. They were known for their pro-democracy platform and their aim to remove military influence in Thai politics. The party's base of support mainly consisted of young and educated urbanites mostly found in Bangkok and its populous suburbs.[53][54][55]
Some of their policies included the legalisation of same-sex marriage, economic equality, social welfare programs, devolution of government, scrapping military conscription, seeking a referendum concerning the rewriting of the constitution, and reforming the monarchy.[54][56][57][58] It also aimed to amend Thailand's strict lèse-majesté laws and supports scrutinizing the royal budget.[30]
