The movement started when students of Chulalongkorn University took the lead in taking a political stance via social media platform, followed by students from other education institutions who then created 28 hashtags on Twitter, including Silapakorn University, Kasetsart University and Thammasat University.

They called for a show of unity through gatherings at university premises, aimed at sending a message to the government that they support democracy and not dictatorship.

Ramkhamhaeng University which has the highest number of registered students will hold a rally tomorrow ( February 26).

Former students of Ramkhamhaeng University said they supported the new generation of students at the university, which reminded them of the fallen students in two tragic political events: the 1973 Thai popular uprising and Black May in 1992.

They also requested a rewriting of Constitution BE 2560 for the Constitution Drafting Assembly of Thailand to be formed based on majority vote of the public and for the right of Thai citizens to cast votes in a referendum on the writing of a new constitution before it is finalised.

Sira Jenjaka , Palang Pracharath Party’s MP for Bangkok , today (February 25) dared MPs from Future Forward party reveal identity of the man claimed to have offered money and government positions for them to join the government party. Future Forward party was dissolved in a Constitutional Court ruling a few days ago.

” The person who released the audio clip must prove its authenticity and not fake news. If the offer had actually been made, he/she should report it to the authority while he/she would be held responsible for spreading misinformation if the audio was ingenuine, ” Sira said.

If its authenticity is confirmed, Sira said, the person making the offer in the clip would have violated section 30 of the Political Party Act prohibiting any political party or anyone offering or promise to give money, property or any other benefits whether directly or indirectly to motivate any person to apply for membership, and section 31 which , prohibits anyone from soliciting or accepting money, property or any other benefits from a political party or from anyone to apply for membership, including recipients and donors who may also be charged under criminal law.

Bencha Saengchantra, a party-list MP from the dissolved Future Forward party, said on February 24 that a person called her to persuade the party’s MPs to join the government party in exchange for Bt23 million.

Former Future Forward secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul tweeted on Tuesday (February 25) that nine MPs of his now-defunct party were approached by Bhumjaithai, who persuaded them to join their party. “Last week I met with veteran politicians from Bhumjaithai who showed their support to the FWP, but today they just are blatantly stealing our people,” Piyabutr tweeted.

The Constitutional Court on February 21 ordered the dissolution of Future Forward Party over Bt191.2 million loans given by the party’s leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, which was a violation of 2017 Organic Law on Political Parties. The court also revoked the party executives’ right to contest any elections for 10 years and prohibited them from registering a new party for the same length of time.

Meanwhile, Thanathorn posted his reactions on Facebook to the incident of Future Forward Partylist MP Bencha Saengchantra coming forward and playing to the press a sound clip of a telephone conversation between her and an unidentified man. The man reportedly offered up to Bt23 million for Future Forward MPs to switch parties. “In Thailand, not many people have Bt23 million, therefore it is more than enough to persuade someone to do whatever you want, including buying off MPs probably as a leverage to get a minister position,” he said. “Bencha is a brave person to come forward with the evidence and reveal the truth to the public. I would like to thank her for this bravery, and would like to urge all of us to keep her safe from any dark power that might harm her just because she spoke the truth.”

According to the organic law on the political parties, the violations of Section 62 which gives political parties only seven ways to raise funds and Section 66 limiting the amount of money that can be collected in donations at Bt10 million, allow the commission to lay charges under the penal code.

The penalties might be imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to Bt100,000 or both, or the party could be barred from the next election and fined up to Bt1 million and its executives could be banned from politics for five years.

EC secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma filed a letter to the former leader of Future Forward asking him to hand over the accounts and financial status of the party to the registrar of political parties within 30 days. It will then pass on the information to the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand within 180 days since the party has been dissolved.

Moreover, former executives of the dissolved party must continue their functions until the accounts are clarified.

In regard to the party’s MPs whose rights for an election were not revoked, the EC ordered them to register with other political parties within 60 days.

Without the official act, the question of whether the court was or was not granted the right to disband the Future Forward Party was raised, which might have led to an invalid court ruling.

“This is a critical matter. Since there was no official establishment of the Constitution Court, who would be responsible for the use of power that resulted in the dissolution of several parties in the past or who would answer this question?” Ruangkrai said.

He also cited the Constitution BE 2540, 2550 and 2560, saying that “all courts may be established only by Acts”.

In the letter, Ruangkrai attached an official document signed by Constitutional Court President Nurak Marpraneet proposing the Act on Establishment of the Constitution Court in 2014 after Prayut Chan-o-cha, then leader of the National Council for Peace and Order, seized power so that the National Legislative Assembly could enact it, and another document from Nurak withdrawing a draft on the Act of Establishment in 2016.

The Constitutional Court on February 21 ordered the Future Forward Party dissolved on the grounds that a loan of Bt191.2 million its wealthy leader Thanathorn extended to party members was a violation of the organic law’s Section 66 that limits the amount of money that can be collected in donations at Bt10 million, and Section 72 that prohibits political parties and their members from receiving money or assets from any sources when they know they are unlawful or have reasonable doubts of being unlawful.

The court also revoked party executives’ right to contest in any elections for 10 years and prohibited them from registering a new party for the same length of time.

“The penalty for violation of Section 66 will include imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to Bt100,000 or both for the donator,” said Srisuwan. “Meanwhile, the party that received illegal donations will be barred from the next election and fined up to Bt1 million and its executives be banned from politics for five years, whereas the money in excess of Bt10 million, or equal to Bt181 million in FWP’s case, must be seized and deposited to the Political Party Development Fund”.

“Furthermore, FWP had used its revenues that came from fundraising, donations and souvenir selling to pay back the loan to Thanathorn, which violated Section 87 of the organic law that prohibits the use of a party’s revenues for purposes other than the party’s political activities,” added Srisuwan. “The violation of this section is punishable with 5-10 years imprisonment and fine of Bt100,000-200,000, or both.”

“The Society for Defence of the Thai Constitutions wishes to urge the ECT to pursue legal actions against Thanathorn and FWP executives to set a standard for other political parties in Thailand. If the ECT ignores this request they might be violating the Criminal Code Section 157, which prohibits an official from not exercising any of his functions to the injury of any person,” added Srisuwan.

He said the US reaction was not appropriate and marked an interference in Thailand’s internal affairs by an outsider, but he added that he understood countries like the US would like to secure their advantages.

“I think they pretend to not understand what actually happened because some members of Future Forward Party are still able to work,” Panitan said. “Our constitutional courts are quite the same. We do not allow transactions that would affect political parties and they know it. However, it has an effect on them since they could not easily put pressure on the Thai government. When they lost their alliance, they saw it as a disadvantage. The new ambassador is not familiar with Thai matters and we have to discuss it with him soon. Their criticism paints them in a negative light than us, as their political situation is even worse than Thailand’s.”

He said the European Union showed more understanding and knowledge of the complex legal process even though they also had similar concerns as the US.

“It’s quite confusing why a big country [like the US] has allowed some children to write something on their official website. The US might just pretend to be an idiot. However, we don’t want to add anything more to rupture our diplomatic relationship.”

Pheu Thai Party will lead the discussion on the first day, focusing on what it considers the failed economic management of the government, which is one of 15 topics.

The other points it will raise include a land deal worth Bt600 million involving Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s father, the removal of a tobacco factory to build a new one with a Bt4-billion budget and support from Thai government for international capitalists.

Meanwhile, recent events such as the PM2.5 air pollution, Covid-19 and the Korat shooting rampage will also be brought to the table.

Prachachat Party will target the government on the insurgency in the South while Mingkwan Sangsuwan, the former leader of New Economics Party which has now joined the government side will focus on the whole picture of the Thai economy.

Thai Liberal Party (Seri Ruam Thai) plans to raise the issue of Prayut’s incomplete oath of office, the doubtful appointment of senators, succession of the government and the maturity of the premier himself.

Chief opposition whip Sutin Klungsang said the debate would take place from February 24-27 and the voting on a resolution would happen on February 28.

The ministers and the government will have 10 hours to respond.

Prayut Chan-o-cha will be at the centre of the debate for two straight days starting at 1pm on February 24 to 1pm on February 26 and then five ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krea-ngam, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda and Deputy Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow will be brought to the discussion.

MPs of the dissolved Future Forward Party, who are still in the House of Representatives, have been tasked with discussing the topics which were the responsibility of the disbanded members.

Phalang Pracharat MP and a government whip Suchart Chomklin ordered the party’s MPs to participate in the debate under any circumstance.

He said that they might not be able to answer topics related to the administration of the National Council for Peace and Order as it happened in the past.

Government Spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat denied the allegation on her Facebook and Twitter accounts, adding that related agencies are now considering pursuing legal action against the accuser and will make a public announcement to clarify the matter. Narumon added that the accusation will only cause confusion in the minds of the public.

On Sunday, Future Forward Party spokesperson Pannika Wanich spent an hour and a half making their case against Prayut for his performance over the last six years and four months without an opposition. She had also said that the premier was involved with the 1MDB scandal during the censure debate arranged by the now-defunct opposition party.

Pannika said that the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved by the charter court on Friday, would continue the promises that they had made during the general election campaign as political activists instead of as politicians.

The spokesperson alleged that the prime minister was involved with 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), one of the biggest financial scams in Malaysia. She said she expected him to clarify the accusation.

She said that the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved by the charter court on Friday, would continue the promises that they had made during the general election campaign as political activists instead of as politicians.

Pannika expressed her hope that the former MPs of the party would keep the same ideology and said the party would further support the coming censure debate.