Future Forward founder says MFP to become formidable if surviving dissolution
A founder of the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved and reborn as the Move Forward Party, said on Wednesday that the MFP would become a formidable party if it survives the dissolution case.
Speaking to reporters on the morning of the judgment day, Pannika “Chor” Wanich said that even if the MFP were dissolved later in the day by the Constitutional Court, its ideology could not be stopped, as it could quickly be reborn as a new party to continue its policies.
Pannika said she believed the MFP had made preparations to register a new party for its MPs to move to if it were dissolved in the case filed by the Election Commission. The EC accused the MFP of violating the political party act by seeking to overthrow the constitutional monarchy through its campaigns to amend the lese majeste law.
Pannika was among the founding members of Future Forward, which was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in February 2020 for unlawfully obtaining a 191 million baht loan from the party leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. Pannika and other Future Forward executives were banned from politics for ten years.
Pannika recounted that she was hurt and angry that her simple dream of forming a party to push for equality for Thais was shattered by the court ruling. However, she said, the ideology of Future Forward could not be stopped, as it was continued in Move Forward, whose support grew from 6 million votes for Future Forward to the 14 million votes the MFP received in last year’s general election.
“I believe the MFP has made preparations for what could happen,” Pannika said. “If the MFP escapes dissolution, it will move forward and become formidable, with wings to fly forward unstoppable.”
Pannika said that when Future Forward was dissolved, it took about a month to register a new party, but she believed the MFP had made preparations to continue its work in no time if it were dissolved.
Pannika said the MFP would start its activities at the party head office from 1:30 pm, with Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, former Future Forward secretary-general, delivering a special lecture and answering attendees' questions on the scope of authority of the Constitutional Court.
After the court reads its verdict at 3 pm, the MFP would hold a press conference at 6 pm, and the conference would continue until 9 pm. By 6 pm, Pannika said, Pita Limjaroernrat, MFP chief advisor, and other key MFP members would have returned to the party head office from the court.
Pannika expected many party supporters would rally at the party head office in the evening to show their moral support for the party.
