Banned Thai party to take new form

BANGKOK:

Thailand's disbanded Move Forward political party on Thursday rallied its supporters to prepare for the launch of its new name and leadership, and urged them to make their case at the ballot box rather than on the streets.

Move Forward was the largest force in parliament until the Constitutional Court dissolved the party on Wednesday over its campaign platform to amend the country's strict royal insult law, which the court said eroded Thailand's constitutional monarchy.

The party, which said the ruling set a dangerous precedent for how the constitution could be interpreted, will unveil its new name and leadership on Friday. "Move Forward moves to a new party – all 143 of our parliamentarians are coming with us," the party said.

Move Forward won the most seats in last year's poll, but its progressive policies that include undoing business monopolies and military reform clashed with country's conservative establishment, old-money elites and the royalist military.