People's Party 'unfazed' by ban threat over amending Article 112

The People's Party has reiterated that sponsoring a bill aimed at amending the lese majesté law was legitimate despite the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)’s decision to indict some party MPs for breaching ethical standards.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the opposition party's leader Natthapong Ruengpanyawut said that no such action should have been taken against the party, which merely exercised its legislative right.

“Proposing a bill falls under a lawmaker's authority. It does not violate any law or ethical standard," he said.

His remark followed NACC's decision to indict 44 MPs from the now-defunct Move Forward Party for proposing a bill intended to alter the lese majesté law or Article 112 of the Criminal Code in 2021. The bill did not make it through the process for deliberation by the House.

The Commission has charged the MPs with ethical misconduct and summoned them as part of its enquiry process to respond to the allegations.

The move stemmed from a petition from lawyer Teerayut Suwankeson and was based on a ruling by the Constitutional Court in January last year, which said that Move Forward's attempts to alter Article 112 are deemed as an attempt to overthrow the existing democratic regime with the king as the head of the state, breaching section 49 of the Constitution. The party was told to cease all its actions over the matter.

The 2023 election winner was then dissolved in August 2024, with the court citing January's ruling to say that the party violated an organic act on political parties. The law authorised the court to order the disbandment.

Natthapong said that his party will ask NACC for another 15 days to report to the entity as the opposition bench is preparing for the no-confidence debate against the government, set to take place in March.

He added that certain people from the group might however report to the NACC earlier but declined to reveal any names.

"This has no effect on the upcoming no-confidence debate. What we can do now is to keep on working to the best of our ability," he said, adding that there are several issues, like pollution and land ownership, that the party wants to push forward.

Of the 44 MPs who proposed the bill, 25 are with the People's Party, the reincarnation of Move Forward, 11 no longer hold lawmaker status, and 8 are amongst executives banned from running from office for 10 years following Move Forward’s dissolution.

If NACC finds them guilty, the case will be sent to the Supreme Court. The worst outcome would be a lifelong ban from running for office.

When asked about the life ban threat, Natthapong said it is too early to talk about the matter.

He said that NACC needs to inspect each case individually and urged it to be impartial.

The party earlier noted that action on the case against it had progressed much faster than those involving allegations against the government.