Move Forward urges supporters to come out in force on judgement day

Opposition leader Move Forward Party is urging its supporters to rally in its support on August 7, when the Constitutional Court is scheduled to issue a verdict on the dissolution case against the party.

A panel of nine judges is scheduled to gather at 9.30am on August 7 and will deliver a verdict at 3pm.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Move Forward called on its supporters to show up at the party head office by 1pm and participate in activities that will be held until 9pm.

The post said that Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, former secretary-general of the Future Forward Party, will take to the stage to deliver an “exclusive” speech ahead of the verdict at 1.30pm. Future Forward was dissolved in February 2020 and reincarnated as Move Forward.

“On this occasion, Move Forward would like to invite the people who own the country and own Move Forward to gather to hear the verdict together at the Future Forward Building, which is now Move Forward’s head office, from 1pm onwards,” the post read.

It added that Piyabutr will complete his “exclusive lecture” just before the verdict is read out.

“See you at the Move Forward head office and you will join more activities after the verdict reading. No matter what, we will move on together,” the post concluded.

The Election Commission (EC) filed a case against Move Forward in March, claiming it had violated Article 92 of the Political Party Act by behaving in a manner that could be seen as an attempt to topple Thailand’s constitutional monarchy. The EC also deemed this behaviour hostile to the monarchy.

The EC based its lawsuit on a charter court ruling in January, in which the court found the election campaign led by then-Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat unconstitutional. In its campaign, Move Forward promised to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code or the draconian lese majeste law.

On Sunday, Move Forward released a video clip announcing that it would continue moving forward, no matter what the
verdict says. However, political observers interpreted this as the party saying it is resigned to its fate and is prepared to be dissolved.