The Banning of Future Forward
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54157/tls.264136Keywords:
Constitutional law, Political Parties ActAbstract
On 21 February 2020, Thailand’s Future Forward Party was dissolved by order of the Constitutional Court.Sixteen members of the party executive – including leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, and spokesperson Pannika Wanich – were banned holding political office for the next ten years. Eleven of the sixteen were also party list MPs. The party’s crime? Illegally accepting two loans from Thanathorn, totalling 191 million baht. The case hinged on the Court’s interpretation of Sections 62 and 72 of the 2017 (2560) Organic Act on Political Parties.
References
Aim Sinpeng. “Party Banning and the Impact on Party System Institutionalization in Thailand.” (2014) 36(3) Contemporary Southeast Asia 442–66. https://doi.org/10.1355/cs36-3e
Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang. “Anakot Mai: ‘Lawfare’ and Future Forward Party’s Legacy.” New Mandala (28 February 2020). https://www.newmandala.org/anakot-mai-lawfare-and-future-forward-partys-legacy/
“Law Professors Oppose Constitutional Court’s Dissolution of Future Forward.” Thai PBS World (24 February 2020). https://www.thaipbsworld.com/law-professors-oppose-constitutional-courts-dissolution-of-future-forward/
McCargo, Duncan. “‘Disruptors’ Dilemma? Thailand’s 2020 Gen Z Protests.” (2021) 53(2) Critical Asian Studies 175–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/14672715.2021.1876522
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Sources in Thai
“เงินกู้ การครอบงำพรรคการเมือง และคำฟ้องของ กกต.” [“Loans, Interference in Political Parties, and the Complaints of the EC.” The Momentum (9 January 2020). https://themomentum.co/future-forward-party-loans-lead-to-its-dissolution/
“เปิดข้อกฎหมายคดียุบพรรคอนาคตใหม่: เงินกู้ไม่ใช่รายได้และกฎหมายไม่ได้ห้าม.” [“Exposing Laws Causing Dissolution of Future Forward: A Loan is Not Income, And Not Prohibited By Law.” iLaw (18 February 2020). https://www.ilaw.or.th/node/5556
“มองประเด็นการยุบพรรคอนาคตใหม่ ด้วยแนวคิดความยุติธรรมต่างรุ่นในสังคมตุลาการสูงวัย.” [“On the Dissolution of Future Forward, Different Perspectives on Justice Between Attorneys in Different Generations.” The Momentum (3 March 2020). https://themomentum.co/intergenerational-justice/
“ย้อนดูสัญญาเงินกู้ 2 ฉบับ 191.2 ล. เอื้อ ปย. อนาคตใหม่ ชนวนปิดฉาก ‘ธนาธร-พวก’.” [“Looking Back at the Two Loan Contracts for 191.2 million to Future Forward Causing the End of ‘Thanthorn and Associates’.” Issara News Agency (21 February 2020). https://www.isranews.org/investigative/investigate-asset/85829-report00-85829.html
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