Future Forward secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul has urged the party’s 60,000 members to switch to a new party to be formed if Future Forward is dissolved by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, saying he is confident that the party will be disbanded.
Addressing supporters at the “Future is now” event at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus on Saturday, the French-educated law professor branded the accusations against the party and its leadership by Dr. Natthaporn Toprayoon, a former advisor to the chief ombudsman, as nonsense.
He described the charge of being against a constitutional monarchy as a patchwork of spurious accusations against him and party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, such as the content of Thanathorn’s interview before entering politics, his involvement in the campaign for amendment of the lèse majesté law and the party’s reference to the 1932 revolution, which transformed Thailand from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy.
He said none of these accusations prove either he or Thanathorn want a republic or to overthrow the monarchy.
He claimed that his accuser is afraid of the Future Forward party’s success and wants to nip the party in the bud.
Piyabutr also dismissed the accusation that he and Thanathorn are republicans and said that they are supportive of a constitutional monarchy.
“Those who accuse us are ultra-royalists who see us as radicals. In fact, they are the radicals. These people do not want change, want to hold back development and make us the enemy, said Piyabutr.
He said he and Thanathorn had agreed that they will both press ahead for full democracy and for changes in Thailand by touring the country to meet with the people and express their political views, even though they are stripped of their MP status.
