Thai court rules that progressive Move Forward party must stop trying to change royal defamation law

By JUTARAT SKULPICHETRAT
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the progressive Move Forward party must cease advocating amending the law on royal defamation. The decision Wednesday leaves the party vulnerable to being dissolved. The Move Forward party came in first in the 2023 general election. It campaigned heavily on making an effort to amend Article 112 — also known as lese-majeste law — which protects the royal institution from criticism. In July, a lawyer associated with royalist politics petitioned the court to block Move Forward and then-party leader Pita Limjaroenrat from seeking to change the law. Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Pita said the ruling was a lost opportunity for the party to work with parliament.