The Election Commission had a legal obligation to request a court order to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP) to avoid being accused of neglecting its duties, the EC chairman stated.
Ittiporn Boonpracong refuted claims on Wednesday that the EC was secretly instructed by another entity to target the leading opposition party.
“What directs the EC is the law. We function in compliance with the law… Otherwise, we could be held derelict in our duty,” Mr. Ittiporn stated.
On Tuesday, the Election Commission unanimously decided to request that the Constitutional Court dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP).
This decision was prompted by a January ruling from the court, which found that the MFP had advocated for changes to Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law.
The judges concurred that such actions were tantamount to an attempt to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.
The EC connected the case against the MFP to Section 92 of the organic law governing political parties, which allows for the dissolution of any party that poses a threat to the constitutional monarchy.
The EC chairman mentioned on Wednesday that the commission might also request the court to restrict the electoral and political rights of MFP members involved in the campaign against the lese majeste law, with a maximum suspension period of 10 years.
Mr. Ittiporn announced that the official petition for the MFP’s dissolution would be submitted the following week. The EC would also examine any other legal breaches by the MFP related to this issue.
Chaithawat Tulathon, the leader of the MFP, declared that his party would mount a strong defense in their submissions to the Constitutional Court.
He argued that dissolving the party would not solve political issues but, on the contrary, might exacerbate political disputes.
