277-6-2023 (BANGKOK) The Constitutional Court has called upon the attorney-general to provide an update regarding a petition filed against the Move Forward Party (MFP) and its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, concerning their proposed amendment to the lese majeste law. The petitioner, Theerayut Suwankesorn, initially lodged the petition to compel the court to order the MFP and Mr. Pita, who is the party’s prime ministerial candidate, to block the amendment as it may potentially contravene the charter.
According to Mr. Theerayut, the MFP’s plan represents a violation of Section 49, which prohibits individuals from utilizing their rights and freedoms to undermine the constitutional monarchy. The section further specifies that any individual who becomes aware of such an act has the right to request the attorney-general to forward the matter to the Constitutional Court. In the event that the attorney-general rejects the petition or fails to take action within 15 days, the person can directly file a petition with the Constitutional Court.
In his petition, Mr. Theerayut asserts that he submitted the petition to the attorney-general on May 30 and chose to escalate the matter to the Constitutional Court due to the attorney-general’s lack of action within the prescribed 15-day period.
Mr. Theerayut has referenced a previous ruling by the Constitutional Court, which pertains to calls for reforms within the monarchy made by protest leaders, to support his current petition. In November 2021, the court ruled that the actions of three protest leaders during a rally at Thammasat University in August 2020 were aimed at undermining the constitutional monarchy.
At the aforementioned rally, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul read out a list of 10 demands, including a call for monarchy reform. This incident shocked numerous individuals, and the protesters involved were accused of crossing a line.
Subsequently, Natthaporn Toprayoon, a lawyer and former adviser to the chief ombudsman, filed a petition urging the court to investigate the actions of human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, Panupong Jadnok, and Ms. Panusaya.
The judges concluded that the trio’s actions were carried out with concealed intentions to utilize their rights and freedoms to undermine and overthrow the democratic regime with the King as the head of state. Consequently, the trio were ordered to cease such activities.
