Pridi Banomyong Institute slams dissolution of Move Forward Party
Constitutional Court’s verdict breached democratic principles and undermines voters’ rights, says the institute dedicated to the father of Thailand’s democracy
The Pridi Banomyong Institute condemned the dissolution of Move Forward Party on Thursday, calling it an interference in legislative powers by the judiciary and a severe violation of voters’ rights and democratic principles.
The institute’s statement said that the Constitutional Court’s ruling that the MFP-sponsored bill to amend the lese majeste law could be seen as an attempt to overthrow the monarchy actually constituted an interference in parliamentarians’ duty.
The statement said the court’s interpretation of the case crossed the line dividing the country’s three branches of power – executive, judiciary and legislative – and thus violated the principles of a democratic ruling system.
It said that sponsoring a bill in line with procedures set in the Constitution was lawful and should have been under the authority of MPs. This action should not have resulted in the dissolution of a political party.
The Pridi Banomyong Institute is a Thai academic institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the ideals of peace and democracy championed by its namesake, Pridi Banomyong. A prominent figure in Thai history, Pridi was a key man behind the end of Thailand’s absolute monarchy and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
The statement added that the ruling could prompt members of the public to raise questions about the existence of certain organisations that are not related to the people via elections, but are instead agencies produced by “the Constitution of the 2017 coup maker”.
The institute pointed out that such agencies formed under the coup maker-sanctioned charter were being used as tools to eliminate political opponents of the elite.
It said the verdict against the Move Forward Party could also prompt the Thai public to suspect that the judiciary is being used to intimidate people with different political views.
“This undermines the rule of law and people’s basic rights and liberty, doesn’t it?” the statement asked.
“The Pridi Banomyong Institute still adheres to and affirms the democratic principle that says ‘the sovereignty belongs to the people’. All state agencies, including political office holders, must come from elections or at least report to the people who own the sovereignty,” the statement said.
“The state ruled under a democratic system must respect the principle of the division of branches of power and allow all political parties to compete among themselves fairly and freely.”
The statement said that the Constitutional Court’s verdict dissolving the party affected the rights of many voters who had expressed their free will by electing Move Forward MPs to represent them in the House of Representatives.
“It also demeans the values and principles of democracy and thus violates the international treaty on basic human rights that Thailand has ratified,” the statement added.
It said the dissolution of political parties should only be done to protect the Constitution and the country’s democratic system instead of being used as a political tool to obstruct people’s democratic rights.
