BANGKOK: After shocking Thailand’s military-backed elite with a historic election win, the ‘Move Forward Party’ (MFP) now wants to take on the country’s biggest political taboo – laws on insulting the monarchy.
However, party leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s desire and determination to modify the lese-majeste laws protecting King Maha Vajiralongkorn has quickly emerged as a big issue that could block his path to power. The monarchy has long had a dignified status in Thai society, and is shielded from criticism by section 112 of the country’s penal code, which punishes violations with jail sentence of up to 15 years.
King’s posters are ubiquitous, from shops and homes to public buildings and motorway billboards, and cinema-goers are expected to stand for the royal anthem before screenings. But the youth-led pro-democracy demonstrators in 2020 violated the taboo against public discussion of the status of monarchy with some protesters calling for the king’s power and spending to be reined in.
The ‘Move Forward Party’ channelled the reforming zeal of the protest movement in its election campaign for Sunday’s election and won the polls. It pledged to limit who can bring lese-majeste charges and to cut the maximum sentence. — AFP/APP
