Thai lawmakers from dissolved prominent opposition party to join new party

[webfact]

Thai lawmakers from dissolved prominent opposition party to join new party

 

FILE PHOTO: Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit gives a speech, at the party's headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand February 21, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Dozens of Thai lawmakers from a prominent opposition party that was dissolved last month said on Sunday they will join a new party together to keep their parliamentary seats.

 

Thailand's constitutional court dissolved the high-profile Future Forward Party last month, banning its executive members and leaving the rest of its lawmakers to find a new party to join within 60 days or they would lose their status.

 

The remaining 55 members of parliament of the disbanded party will be officially joining an existing party called Move Forward Party together next week, said Pita Limjaroenrat, who emerged as the group's new leader.

 

"Our mission is to continue the ideologies and missions of the Future Forward Party," Pita told reporters.

 

"Even though we have a new home, our hearts remain the same. We remain on the side of the people and democracy, stand against the junta staying in power, and drive progressive agendas."

 

Little is known about Move Forward Party, which did not have a lawmaker in parliament. The Election Commission said on Friday it just changed its name early last week, possibly to prepare to receive the former Future Forward lawmakers.

 

The upstart Future Forward Party, hugely popular among young people, came third in last year's messy election and initially captured 81 out of 500 parliamentary seats but lost many lawmakers through defections and political bans along the way.

 

The party had been a thorn in the pro-military government's side since before the March 2019 general election that saw the junta chief, who seized power in 2014, reinstalled as a civilian prime minister.

 

Future Forward's charismatic leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, had his lawmaker status suspended a day before the opening of parliament in May and then officially disqualified in November for holding shares in a media company.

 

Thailand's constitutional court dealt the final blow last month by dissolving the party, ruling that it had broken election law by taking a loan from its founder, Thanathorn.

 

Thanathorn vowed to continue to oppose the government "on the ground", alongside his former colleagues in parliament.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-09

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[webfact]

Moving forward

 

Photos by Korbphuk Phromrekha

 

A former member of the dissolved Future Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat, gathered 55 former Future Forward MPs to register a new party at the dissolved party’s centre in Thonburi district.

 

 

The party was named “Kao Klai Party” chosen as the name of a new party being launched by former executives of the dissolved Future Forward.

 

 

It was chosen after a vote at a seminar of the former executives held in Nakhon Nayok province from February 28 to March 1.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30383635

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-09

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[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The remaining 55 members of parliament of the disbanded party will be officially joining an existing party called Move Forward Party together next week, said Pita Limjaroenrat, who emerged as the group's new leader.

 

"Our mission is to continue the ideologies and missions of the Future Forward Party," Pita told reporters.

Good move .

Now they even learned of how to avoid the traps laid out by the government , I hope .

Good luck ...

[yellowboat]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's constitutional court dealt the final blow last month by dissolving the party, ruling that it had broken election law by taking a loan from its founder, Thanathorn.

All they did was to hurt Thailand and their fellow Thais.

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanathorn vowed to continue to oppose the government "on the ground", alongside his former colleagues in parliament.

But hope remains

[JustAnotherHun]

4 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

Good move .

Now they even learned of how to avoid the traps laid out by the government , I hope .

Good luck ...

If they become a threat to the General and his morons the new party will be dissolved faster as it's members can find a new name.

[billd766]

49 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

If they become a threat to the General and his morons the new party will be dissolved faster as it's members can find a new name.

I suspect that the government will make new laws and backdate them a year.

 

It is the only way for them to stay in power.

[Scot123]

I feel so sad for Thailand and its future. Thank god my children are now being brought up in the UK now. And many on here cheered these criminals..... Even if a civilian government ever comes to power it will not alst long before the orders to roll the Tanks back into Bangkok come again.