PP leader vows ‘careful approach’ to amending lese majeste law
People’s Party leader Natthaphong has promised a more prudent approach to amendments and assured supporters of his party’s commitment to strategic reform
The leader of the Move Forward Party’s avatar, the People’s Party, has vowed to continue working to fix the problematic parts of the draconian lese majeste law.
In a phone interview with Nation TV on Monday morning, People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said Article 112 of the Penal Code remained problematic, but his party would be more prudent in seeking to amend it.
“We can’t deny this law has problems,” he said, adding “we must think carefully about how to amend it”.
He added that his party would take into account the Constitutional Court’s two rulings against the Move Forward Party (MFP) when it seeks to amend the lese majeste law.
“We will not be stubborn and will not seek to amend it in the same way,” Natthaphong said.
He said he realises that many party supporters are worried that the People’s Party will suffer the same fate as MFP if it continues trying to amend Article 112.
He said he wanted the supporters to rest assured because this time the party will be a lot more cautious.
The Constitutional Court dissolved Move Forward on Thursday because it saw the party’s move to amend Article 112 as an act of hostility towards the constitutional monarchy and an effort to overthrow the democratic ruling system with the king as head of state.
On January 31, the charter court had ordered MFP to abandon its plan to amend the lese majeste law, saying it was akin to wanting to overthrow the monarchy. In this ruling the court also said that the party’s proposal to remove the lese majeste law from the National Security Act was an attempt to weaken the monarchy.
Despite their party’s dissolution, banned MFP executives appeared unperturbed and declared that people in power would not be able to block the wishes of the people. They said the “winds of change” have started blowing and cannot be stopped.
Natthaphong himself was among the 44 MFP MPs who sponsored the Article 112 amendment bill, which was cited by the Constitutional Court as graphic evidence for disbanding the party.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), meanwhile, has started a probe into whether these 44 former MFP MPs should be indicted for breaching the code of ethics by sponsoring the amendment bill.
Natthaphong said he was not worried about the NACC investigation, adding that the party has built a legal team to help defend him in court.
He added that he could explain his intentions to the Supreme Court if the case goes to trial there, as this court is part of the judicial system, unlike the Constitutional Court, which he dubbed a “political court”.
Natthaphong also said that he had only signed his name as sponsoring the bill, and did not join any anti-monarchy rallies, seek bail for the activists or put up stickers showing solidarity with the anti-monarchy activists.
The Constitutional Court cited these activities by Move Forward executives as evidence of hostility towards the monarchy.
“I didn’t do these things. I only sponsored the bill with fellow Move Forward MPs,” Natthaphong added.
As for questions about PP’s eligibility, as it does not have branches in all four regions of the country, Natthaphong said the party has opened branches in all four corners of the country, but the Election Commission (EC) has yet to reflect this on its website.
He added that as a leader of MFP’s incarnation, he will now focus on three key missions – helping the party campaign in the Ratchaburi CEO election, the Phitsanulok by-election and improving the party’s structure.
Natthaphong said he has asked his team to sort out his schedules for going to Ratchaburi and Phitsanulok to help campaign for People’s Party candidates.
The election of the Ratchaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation’s CEO is scheduled to be held on September 1, while the EC has yet to formally announce the date for the Phitsanulok by-election. However, an election must be held within 45 days after former Move Forward executive Padipat Suntiphada lost his House seat on Thursday.
Natthaphong said he will call a party meeting by September 20 to discuss the party’s restructuring and may consider reducing the number of party executives to just five in case the party is dissolved again.
