Constitutional Court orders Thai Raksa Chart dissolved

 

 

The Constitutional Court this afternoon ordered the pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart Party dissolved as a punishment for its failed nomination of Princess Ubolratna, a member of the Royal Family, as its prime minister candidate in the March-24 general election.

 

The court ruled that Thai Raksa Chart’s nomination of the princess was an act that undermines the democratic system under the constitutional monarchy.  It said the monarchy has traditionally and constitutionally been above politics and dismissed the party’s argument that it followed democratic principle in nominating the princess as its prime minister candidate.

 

The verdict also disfranchised the rights of the executives of the party to run in elections and to be involved in setting up political parties for 10 years.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/constitutional-court-orders-thai-raksa-chart-dissolved/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-03-07

Thailand court bans party that nominated princess for PM

 

Thai Raksa Chart party leader Preechapol Pongpanich and members of his party arrive at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok, Thailand, March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court on Thursday ordered the dissolution of an opposition party for nominating the king's sister as its candidate for prime minister in a March 24 election.

 

"The court has ordered that the party be dissolved," Judge Taweekiet Meenakanit said in the ruling, which also banned the executive board members of Thai Raksa Chart party from politics for 10 years.

 

The Election Commission had asked the court to dissolve the party after it nominated Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana

Barnavadi for prime minister in the election, the first since a 2014 coup.

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-07

Court dissolves Thai Raksa Chart, bans party’s executive board for 10 years

By The Nation

 

Thai Raksa Chart Party leader Preechapol Pongpanich (C) performs a traditional Thai greeting to journalists during an interview after the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the party. // EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

The Constitutional Court on Thursday ordered the dissolution of Thai Raksa Chart Party for naming a member of the Royal Family, Princess Ubolratana, as its prime ministerial candidate, because it said, this action undermined Thailand’s constitutional monarchy.

 

The court also banned all 14 members of the party’s executive board from politics for 10 years, ruling that they will not be allowed to play any part in forming a new party during this period. 

 

Despite relinquishing her royal status in 1972, Princess Ubolratana – the older sister of His Majesty the King – continues working as a member of the Royal Family, attending royal ceremonies as well as representing the monarchy. Hence, the court said, the princess is an insuperable part of the institution. 

 

Submitting her name as a candidate for the premier’s post undermines the “above politics” status of the monarchy, the court said. 

The court added that the party has committed an act that could be seen as damaging to the crown. 

 

Thai Raksa Chart is seen as a key political ally of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30365373

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-07

‘A threat to monarchy’

By THE NATION

 

Journalist records a live TV broadcast of a judge delivering the decision of the Constitutional Court in Bangkok to dissolve the Thai Raksa Chart party yesterday.

 

Judges rule unanimously to dissolve Thai Raksa Chart.

 

THE Constitutional Court yesterday disbanded the Thai Raksa Chart Party for nominating a member of the Royal Family, Princess Ubolratana, as its candidate for prime minister, ruling that such a move “might undermine” the Thai constitutional monarchy system, which placed the monarchy above politics.

 

 

The court ruled unanimously to dissolve the party under Article 92 of the 2017 Constitution and voted 6-3 to ban the party’s executive members from politics for 10 years while also barring them from setting up a new political party. 

 

Princess Ubolratana, the elder sister of His Majesty the King, who has relinquished her royal status since 1972, had accepted Thai Raksa Chart Party’s invitation to be its lone candidate for prime minister.

 

The charter court, however, ruled that Ubolratana remained a royal at functions involving the monarchy since the reign of her father, the late King Rama IX.

 

Thai Raksa Chart, a major ally of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had argued that it had proposed the name of the prime minister candidate with her consent in accordance with the current constitution.

 

Election Commission Secretary General, Jurangvit Phumma (C) arrives at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on March 7, 2019, before a court ruling on Thai Raksa Chart party. // AFP PHOTO

 

However the Election Commission (EC) revoked her nomination on February 8, the same day her application was submitted, after HM the King issued a royal command pointing to her royal status. The EC later petitioned the charter court to dissolve the party, accusing it of undermining the so-called “democratic regime with the monarch as the head of state”. 

 

While the military-sponsored 2017 Constitution has no clear clause prohibiting members of the Royal Family from entering politics, the nine charter court judges referred to the tradition and norm since the 1932 revolution to bar persons at the level of Royal Highness in the royal hierarchy from taking part in elections.

 

The amendment of the principle during the reign of King Rama VIII in 1946 did not change the spirit of the norm in subsequent constitutions, judge Nakarin Mektrairat said. 

 

The 1932 revolution paved the way for Thailand’s change from an absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy and gave special status to the monarchy institution, placing it above politics, said Nakarin, a former scholar who wrote a book on the 1932 revolution. 

 

The monarchy has traditionally reigned, but not ruled, over the Kingdom and acted as the revered institution in Thai governance for a long time. The Royal Family’s entry in politics would take away the neutrality of the monarchy, the judge said. 

 

The Royal Family must not be brought to become a part of any political faction so that the monarchy can remain at the centre of the heart of the nation, he said. 

 

 

Thai Raksa Chart, set up on November 7, is only four months old. Though the party had obtained the rights and freedom granted by the Thai constitution, exercising that right must be based on an awareness that it will not destroy Thai norms and values,” said Nakarin, and added such actions should not consequently pose any threat to the regime. 

 

As the party’s political decision to nominate a Royal Family member for prime minister could be deemed a threat to the constitutional monarchy system, the court ruled to ban its executive members from politics for 10 years, rather than impose a life ban as widely expected. 

 

The dissolution of the party also raises questions about the legality of its candidates contesting the March 24 election. The party has fielded candidates in 175 constituencies and 108 in the party list. These candidates might be disqualified for not being members of a political party for more than 90 days before polling day, as required by the law. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30365402

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-08

 

Banned party’s supporters urged to vote for ‘democratic camp’

By THE NATION

 

Thai Raksa Chart Party leader Preechaphol Pongpanit is surrounded by journalists at the Constitutional Court yesterday after the dissolution of his party. He and other party executives have been banned from politics for a decade.

 

THAI RAKSA CHART leader Preechaphol Pongpanit said yesterday that he and other party executives were “extremely saddened” by the Constitution Court’s verdict disbanding the party.

 

He raised questions about the ruling’s possible impacts on the political rights and freedom of candidates contesting the March 24 general election, as well as those of voters who are their supporters.

 

“We at Thai Raksa Chart have good intentions and have never thought of harming the country. Although our electoral rights have been revoked, we can still do good for the country in other ways,” a teary-eyed Preechaphol said, his voice shaking as he spoke to a throng of media representatives.

 

About 40 supporters of the party were allowed to attend the verdict reading in the Constitutional Court yesterday. The number of party supporters present was far lower than expected, after hundreds of police personnel were deployed at court premises to maintain peace.

 

Chartchai na Chiangmai, a member of the Constitution Drafting Commission, said he did not think the ruling would lead to street protests as had been feared. And he did not expect any negative effects on the upcoming national vote as a result of the verdict. “The court judgement was based on evident facts and relevant legal principles,” Chartchai said. 

 

Noppadon Kannikar, director of the Super Poll survey agency, also said he did not think the party’s dissolution would affect the election or the political situation.

 

He expected Thai Raksa Chart supporters to transfer their votes to other parties with a “similar ideology”, namely Pheu Thai, Future Forward, Seree Ruam Thai and Puea Chart.

 

“Although the disbandment has occurred just weeks before the election, I don’t think there will be any violence. Right now, Thais very much want to vote,” Noppadon said. 

 

Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, also saw no impact from the party’s dissolution on the economy or domestic investment. “I believe the election process will continue without any interruption,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Thai Raksa Chart’s candidates yesterday said they had to stop their campaigning following the court verdict. Many candidates and their staff members reacted to the news with tears.

 

Samai Sai-onta, a party candidate in Khon Kaen province, said his team members were dejected but offering moral support to one another. 

 

“We are sad but we have to fight on although there will be no more campaigning,” he said.

 

The politician pointed to the “lost rights” of the candidates, saying they had to suffer for something that was not their fault. He added that each candidate had spent at least Bt300,000 on campaigning.

 

Worasuda Sukharom, a Thai Raksa Chart candidate in Kanchanaburi province, yesterday called on the party’s supporters to “cast their votes” in favour of any other party in “the democratic camp” now that Thai Raksa Chart was out of the fray. 

 

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs, said Thai Raksa Chart candidates had to stop their campaigning immediately. Any votes for the party in the election would be considered void, he added.

 

Thai stock prices were higher at close yesterday following the court verdict.

 

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed at 1,633.21, up 7.70 points from a day earlier with trade volume at Bt38.62 billion. 

 

As the SET Index rose, institutional and individual investors bought record volumes of shares worth Bt355 million and Bt748 million, respectively. On the same day, proprietary and foreign investors recorded net sales worth Bt533.3 million and Bt569.8 million, respectively. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30365403

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-08