The protest follows the commission’s recent ruling to support having FFP leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit disqualified as a party list MP over his highly disputed holdings in a functionally defunct media company at the time of running for election.
The EC made its recommendation to the Constitutional Court to have Mr Thanathorn disqualified. The Constitutional Court made the disqualification formal on Nov 20.
The Constitutional Court is now expected to rule next month on whether to dissolve the FFP over allegations it attempted to overthrow the constitutional monarchy following a complaint filed over speeches made by party members.
Head of the FFP’s Phuket party working group Theeraphong Thaweesap, said yesterday, “We stage this protest and laid funeral wreaths to show that we disagree with the things that the Election Commission has done. We cannot reveal what next our step is. We came out today because we want to show that the Future Forward Party will be beside the Thai people and should not be dissolved.
“Today, FFP members in each province together made a political movement and opened registration for people to join the party so that Thai people can show what they want. Today’s movement aimed to show that we cannot bear any injustice,” he added.
The FFP written statement issued yesterday claimed that in addition to FFP members more than 6.2 million people disagree with the request to dissolve the FFP, which Election Commission forward to the Constitution Court for action.
The statement did not cite any poll or explain in any other way how the party came to understand that 6.2mn people disagreed with the move to dissolve the FFP.
“We want the Election Commission to be responsible and review what they did as fast as possible. We still believe in the power of the people,” the statement said.
Natthaporn Toprayoon, who petitioned the court early this year seeking disbandment of the FFP for violating Section 49 of the Constitution, this week said that he expects a ruling by the middle of January.
His prediction came after the court rejected the FFP’s request for a full inquiry into the case. The court said there was sufficient evidence to rule on the case without holding an inquiry under Section 58 (1) of the Constitutional Court's Procedure Act, reported the Bangkok Post. (See story here.)
Mr Natthaporn cited the dissolution case against the Thai Raksa Chart Party (TRC) early this year, in which the court handed down its ruling without conducting an inquiry given there was already sufficient evidence.
In his petition, Mr Natthaporn accused the FFP leader Mr Thanathorn, party secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul and party executives of violating Section 49 of the charter which prohibits actions that undermine the constitutional monarchy.
He cited FFP actions including the party’s regulations and also speeches and lectures made by the senior party figures.
FFP spokeswoman Pannika Wanich said on Monday (Dec 23) the party was bracing itself for the court’s ruling after the request for an inquiry was rejected.
“If the court ordered an inquiry, we would make preparations because witnesses and evidence would be called. But without an inquiry, we just have to be prepared for a ruling that we can't predict,” she said.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Pakkapong Pongpetra said police are seeking the parliament president’s permission to summon three FFP lawmakers to answer charges in connection with the “flash mob” protest in central Bangkok earlier this month.
The three are Mr Piyabutr, Ms Pannika and party-list MP Pita Limjaroenrat, who face charges of violating the law on public assembly.
Lt Gen Pakkapong said investigators have submitted a letter to the national police chief seeking the parliament president’s permission to summons the FFP trio. MPs are protected by parliamentary immunity, meaning police are required to obtain the parliament president’s permission to summon them to hear charges.
He said Mr Thanathorn and FFP member Pairatchote Chantarakhachorn have been summonsed to respond to the charges at Pathumwan police station tomorrow (Dec 27).
The city police chief denied the charges were politically motivated and said the case was being handled based on evidence.