Thai courts will hear politically sensitive cases next week.

Bangkok - Next week, Thai courts will convene to consider three politically charged cases, one of which could lead to the removal of the Prime Minister, increasing the likelihood of further instability in the government of this Southeast Asian country. On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court announced a hearing for the case against Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on June 18. This case arose after a complaint was filed by 40 military-appointed senators in May, who claimed that the Prime Minister violated the constitution by appointing cabinet members. Additionally, the court will hold a hearing on Tuesday regarding a case initiated by the country's election commission, which is seeking to dissolve the opposition party Move Forward. This party unexpectedly emerged as the winner in last year's parliamentary elections but was unable to form a government due to being blocked by the conservative and monarchist establishment. The dates for the rulings in both cases have yet to be determined.

Nevertheless, the influential former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned to Thailand last August after 15 years of self-imposed exile, is set to be officially charged in a criminal court on Tuesday for allegedly insulting the monarchy and committing computer crimes. The legal proceedings have led to increased political uncertainty in the second-largest economic hub in Southeast Asia and disrupted market operations. Srettha, Thaksin, and the Move Forward party deny all charges. A government spokesperson declined to comment on the legal processes.

Long-standing struggle

Thailand's politics for decades has been defined by the confrontation between a strong conservative and monarchist camp and their opponents, who initially fought against Thaksin and his political parties, but now the situation also includes Move Forward.

• the development of a lagging country's economy
• a cash payment program for 50 million Thais

The Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated to reporters on Tuesday that Srettha continues to work."in full measure".“There are no problems at all.”“he emphasized.”

Legal proceedings against Move Forward

The main opposition party Move Forward is also under the scrutiny of the same court that is examining the case of Srettha in connection with the campaign to reform the lese majeste law — the law against insulting the monarchy. Former Thai prime minister candidate and ex-leader of the Move Forward party, Pita Limjaroenrat, appeared before the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on January 24, 2024, after the court decided to reinstate him as a legislator. The law, which protects the monarchy from insults and defamation, imposes penalties of up to 15 years in prison for each alleged offense. According to legal aid organizations, this law has been used to prosecute more than 270 people since 2020.

The Move Forward Party has received significant support from the youth due to its active progressive agenda, which was further strengthened by a savvy social media campaign, allowing it to surpass military-backed parties in the 2023 elections and secure 30% of the seats in the lower house. If it is determined that the party violated the constitution, it could be dissolved, and its leaders may face a ban on participating in politics.ten yearsThe party representative did not respond to the request for comments.

In January, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Move Forward party's plan to amend the lese majeste laws was a covert attempt to undermine the monarchy. The court ordered the party to cease this campaign, which it did. In 2020, Move Forward's predecessor, the Future Forward party, was dissolved for violating election funding laws. The dissolution of Future Forward became one of the factors contributing to the large-scale anti-government protests on the streets in 2020, which called for the resignation of then-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha and for reforms to the monarchy.