Thailand's Pita Limjaroenrat and the Move Forward Party have been ordered by the Thailand Constitutional Court on Jan. 31, 2024, to stop all actions and speeches that call for the amendment or abolishment of the Lese Majeste monarchy law.

The move comes a week after Pita was cleared of any wrongdoing and reinstated as a member of parliament (MP) by Thailand’s constitutional court.

Pita had proposed to reform the Lese Majeste law

The Constitutional Court declared MFP's attempt of amending the Lese Majeste law to be treason, as confirmed by Pita at a 4pm (5pm Singapore time) press conference, following the court's ruling.

However, Khaosod English reported that the party is spared from dissolution and Pita is still an MP.

Pita, who was the former leader of the MFP, had proposed to reform the Lese Majeste law during the 2023 Thai General Elections.

The law penalises any criticism of the monarchy and carries a maximum of 15 years in prison for each charge.

On Jan. 18, 2024, a 30-year-old Thai man named Mongkol Thirakot was sentenced to 50 years in jail by a court in Thailand for Facebook comments deemed to have defamed the monarchy.

A day before Thirakot's sentencing, lawyer and activist Arnon Nampa was given an additional four years in jail by the Criminal Court for similar reasons.

Earlier on Jan. 31, Khaosod English reported that Thai activist Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon was given a two-year suspended jail term under the Lese Majeste law.

MFP press conference

During the press conference, Pita thanked everyone for the encouragement given to them, and that this issue is not just about him and the MFP, but something that would affect the health of Thai democracy and the political landscape moving forward.

He reiterated the MFP's stance on the Lese Majeste law, stating, "Our attempted amendment was to keep Thailand as a constitutional monarchy and find a consensus for Thailand to move forward politically."

He also emphasised that the MFP's attempts was not "an alibi nor was it an attempt to cause any deterioration of the monarchy" and that he "did not have any intention of separating the monarchy with the national security."

Pita said he had three main concerns regarding the ruling: the boundary between the legislators and the constitutional court, the political space in Thailand and the future landscape of the constitutional monarchy of Thailand moving forward.

Responding to a media query, Pita said:

"It was an opportunity lost that we can use parliament to find different views and an opportunity to find a consensus, building for such an important and critical and fragile issue, and parliament would be the best place for it, and we lost that opportunity today."

You can watch the press conference below:

Top image via Move Forward Party/YouTube