Political Scientist Analyzes Potential Shifts Amid Legal Cases Against Thai PM and Move Forward Party

National —

At 1:00 PM, on June 12th, 2024, Mr. Yutthaporn Isarachai, a political scientist from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, publicly addressed the current political status in Thailand.

Previously, the Thai Constitutional Court held a weekly meeting on June 12th, addressing cases regarding the alleged subversion of the government by the Move Forward Party (MFP), and a petition by 40 senators questioning the qualifications of Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

As a result, the court will conduct further research and present its findings on both cases at the next hearing scheduled for June 18th, 2024.

Interestingly, the Attorney General’s Office agreed to adjourn the hearing of Thaksin Shinawatra’s case involving charges of political crimes under Section 112, also known as Lese Majeste, to June 18th, 2024.

Regarding the heated political situation in Thailand, Yutthaporn publicly revealed that there was controversy and rumor among the society about a possible coup d’etat.

However, Yutthaporn voiced his opinion that it was unlikely to happen. It could be said that under the social situation and political context of Thailand where democracy is not yet firmly established, the process of coup d’etat is therefore always at risk.

Even so, the coup d’etat process might be different from what we had seen in the past where the armed military corps seized important locations, in turn, it could happen in the meeting room as the political context and global trends have changed, remarked Yutthaporn.

In response to a question about potential political shifts, Yutthaporn stated that any significant change would depend on the legal case against Prime Minister Srettha. If Srettha is removed from his position as the Prime Minister, it will necessitate the election of a new prime minister and the formation of a new government.

This could lead to political realignments, including party switching and the possible dissolution of the MFP, all occurring around the same time. Such developments in June are interconnected, he noted.

When asked about Thaksin’s recent comments regarding certain influential figures, Yutthaporn clarified that Thaksin’s remarks were in response to the 40 senators petitioning the Constitutional Court to investigate Srettha. These senators were appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and their backgrounds are well known.

Thaksin’s statements aimed to expose potential hidden agendas, though the exact identities of the mentioned figures remain unclear, even to Thaksin himself. This is part of an ongoing strategic exchange.

Addressing the possibility of political reorganization, Yutthaporn suggested that if changes were made, they would not involve entire parties. Some leaders within certain parties have close ties to the Pheu Thai Party and might bring in factions of opposition parties.

This could result in an unusual political phenomenon in Thailand, where parties split their allegiance, leading to a “half-government, half-opposition” scenario, Yutthaporn concluded.

Subscribe
Kittisak Phalaharn
Kittisak has a passion for outgoings no matter how tough it will be, he will travel with an adventurous style. As for his interests in fantasy, detective genres in novels and sports science books are parts of his soul. He works for Pattaya News as the latest writer.