Will jousts with law bring Move Forward and Pheu Thai together again?

Thaksin, Pheu Thai and the Srettha Thavisin government are currently also at the forefront of a political struggle with the conservative faction, raising the possibility of their common predicament compelling them to come together.
 
Should Move Forward be dissolved, the immediate consequence would be the direct elimination of a political rival for Pheu Thai. While this wouldn't completely finish off the party, it would significantly weaken them. 

The dissolution of their main competitor might give Thaksin, Pheu Thai and the Srettha government some breathing space to build their political achievements and bid for a slice of Move Forward’s vast popularity base.

But Thaksin, Pheu Thai and the Srettha government do not have a clear and unobstructed path to increasing their popularity and making significant political achievements. 

The legal noose around Pheu Thai is no less tight. For example, the Constitutional Court is considering a case filed by 40 senators, who accuse Srettha of violating ethics by appointing Phichit Chuenban as minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, despite knowing that Phichit lacked the required qualifications under the 2017 Constitution. 

Meanwhile, Thaksin faces prosecution by the Office of the Attorney-General for violation of Article 112 – the lese majeste law – of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crimes Act. 

These issues have put Thaksin and the Srettha government in a difficult situation. Despite their outward appearance of calm, the appointment of Wissanu Krea-ngam, former deputy prime minister in the Prayuth Chan-o-cha administration, as an adviser indicates significant internal turmoil.

It should be noted that there has been relentless speculation about Thaksin's alleged fake illness and the assistance he received from the Department of Corrections to be treated on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital for six months without spending a single day in prison before being granted parole. His recent public political activities contradict the health grounds for his parole. These activities include meetings with Pheu Thai MPs and attending events in Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Nakhon Ratchasima, ignoring criticism and opposition.

His brazen actions not only hurt Pheu Thai’s image and cast a shadow over the Srettha government, but are also reinforcing the perception of Thaksin's undue influence over the party and the government, further denting their popularity.

It's important to remember that even though Move Forward has not performed as strongly as expected in its role as the opposition, polls consistently show that Pita Limjaroenrat and the party enjoy high popularity. Pita's popularity surpasses that of Srettha and Paetongtarn Shinawatra combined, which must be worrying for the ruling party.

However, it is evident that decoupling Thaksin from the Pheu Thai Party and the Srettha government is not easy, and the ruling party does not seem to be troubled by this issue.

But equally surprising, there has been no outpouring of sympathy for the Move Forward's ordeal: it was the party with the most number of seats in the 2023 election but could not form the government, it’s PM candidate Pita failed to get the required support in Parliament, and the party also could not have its member as speaker of the House. In addition, it now faces possible dissolution along with the severe ethical charges against 44 MPs, which could lead to lifetime political bans.

While the fate of Move Forward Party is uncertain at this point, it could be said with some certainty that its dissolution will not benefit Thaksin, the Pheu Thai, or the Srettha government in any meaningful way.