Post #5979

🇹🇭44 Thai Opposition Figures Face Trial Over Lèse-Majesté Push Thailand's Supreme Court accepted a case on April 24 against 44 current and former opposition lawmakers, setting trial proceedings from June 30. Defendants include People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, four deputy leaders, and former Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat — already serving a 10-year political ban. Each faces a maximum penalty of a lifetime ban from office if convicted of ethics violations. The charges stem from a 2021 parliamentary bid to amend Thailand's lèse-majesté law, which carries up to 15 years imprisonment and is among the world's strictest. The attempt followed mass youth-led protests calling for monarchy reform. The People's Party and its predecessor Move Forward have now faced two party dissolutions and multiple adverse court rulings — a pattern reflecting sustained pressure from Thailand's conservative establishment. The trial marks another institutional blow to Thailand's progressive opposition ahead of an expected electoral cycle, further narrowing its legislative room for maneuver. #Thailand @asianomics