29-12-2023 (BANGKOK) The Move Forward Party, Thailand’s opposition party, has refuted allegations made by the Khmer Unity Great Nation Party (KUGNP) of being involved in activities against the Phnom Penh government from Thailand.
The KUGNP, an alliance of seven political parties and six civil society organizations, had requested Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to monitor the activities of the Move Forward Party, claiming that it supported an anti-government movement in Cambodia and used Thailand as a safe haven for their propaganda against the Cambodian government.
Heang Kimsroeun, the president of KUGNP, accused the Move Forward Party of providing space and training for extremist politicians abroad, as reported by the Khmer Times. Kong Bunthoeun, the president of the Democracy Movement Party, further claimed that Move Forward trained opposition politicians abroad who baselessly accused Cambodia of human rights violations.
The parties making these allegations are aligned with the Cambodian People’s Party, which secured 120 out of 125 seats in the general election held in July, where it faced no significant opposition. Following the election, Prime Minister Hun Sen passed the premiership to his son, Hun Manet.
In response, the Move Forward Party released a statement clarifying its position. The party stated that it engages in discussions with political parties and groups worldwide on democracy and political issues. However, it emphasized that it has never established a bilateral relationship or agreement with any foreign political group.
“The Move Forward Party has never organized or supported any activity involving a political group in Cambodia,” the statement asserted.
The motive behind the complaint from the Cambodian group remains unclear. However, Move Forward acknowledged that a Cambodian labor rights advocate, who assists migrant workers in Thailand, had visited the party’s headquarters. A photo of the meeting was shared on social media.
In a post on X, the party explained that the meeting took place during the introduction of its Social Security Progress team, which was working to support progressive candidates in the recent election for Social Security Fund board seats. The Cambodian visitor had come to discuss policies to protect the rights of migrant workers with the Social Security Progress team.
This is not the first time that Cambodia has raised concerns about the Move Forward Party. In June, Prime Minister Hun Sen falsely claimed that the party intended to expel Cambodian workers from Thailand if it came into power.
