The former leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat, has been reinstated as a member of parliament (MP) by Thailand’s constitutional court.

Suspension

Pita Limjaroenrat was suspended as an MP by Thailand’s constitutional court in July 2023.

Pita had been accused by the Thai electoral commission of owning shares in media company iTV, which would have violated constitution and electoral law.

Article 98 of Thailand’s constitution states that owners or shareholders of newspapers or other media businesses are prohibited from being candidates for parliamentary elections.

Pita defended himself by saying that iTV was defunct, and had not been a media company for several years.

In addition, he owned a negligible amount of shares in the company which he had inherited from his father, meaning that he had no operational control of the company.

On Jan. 24 the constitutional court agreed with Pita, ThaiPBS World reports, ruling that iTV was no longer a media business.

Therefore Pita’s share ownership did not violate constitutional or electoral law.

Resumption

Pita will now be able to resume his seat in parliament, something he said he would do in consultation with Thailand’s speaker of parliament.

Pita, or rather the MFP as a whole, is still facing one more challenge in the constitutional court due to the party advocating reforming Thailand’s famously strict Lese Majesty law.

The constitutional court is expected to release its ruling on Jan. 31 according to the Bangkok Post.

Second attempt

Pita was suspended on the same day that he failed to become prime minister for the second time, despite the MFP winning the popular vote during Thailand's May 2023 elections and secured the most number of seats.

MFP had joined with the second-placed Phue Thai party as part of an eight-party coalition, seeking to replace the incumbent military-backed government.

But Pita and the MFP failed to secure enough upper house votes, despite having an overwhelming majority of lower house votes.

This prompted Pheu Thai to form a new coalition with pro-military parties, allowing Srettha Thavisin to become PM instead of Pita.

Ever since then, Pita has resigned as leader of MFP, although he remains active in the party as an advisory chairman, saying that he “would not disappear” from politics.

The constitutional court’s ruling clears the way for Pita to return to frontline politics, although it's not clear if he will now retake the leadership of MFP.

For now, Pita has posted on social media thanking his supporters, urging them to keep working.

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Top image via Pita Limjaroenrat/Facebook