No end to the matter yet as Thailand’s Move Forward faces new legal threat to coalition bid

Supporters greet Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party, not pictured, during a rally in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. A coalition of Thai pro-democracy parties, which swept Sundays election, is on course to form the next government, its leaderPita said, seeking to quell concerns about its ability to muster enough support to elect him as the prime minister. - Bloomberg

BANGKOK, May 22 (Bloomberg): A Thai lawyer filed a complaint against the party that won last week’s general election over its vow to amend the country’s royal defamation law, the latest sign that the process of forming a new government could get protracted.

Eight days after Move Forward led pro-democracy groups in a historic victory in the May 14 election, lawyer Theerayuth Suwankaesorn submitted his complaint to the Election Commission. He urged the agency to seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court on whether Move Forward’s call to amend the lese majeste or the royal insult law, which punishes criticisms against the king and other members of the royal family, undermines the monarchy.