On 24 April 2026 the Supreme Court of Thailand accepted the case against 44 former Members of the Parliament, who face the risk of being barred from holding political office for life. This decision follows the ethical proceedings against the 44 for Members of Parliament from the now-dissolved Move Forward Party who sponsored a bill proposing an amendment to Section 112 (lèse-majesté) of the Thai Criminal Code to be in line with international human rights standards. The bill sought, inter alia, to introduce a truth defense, reclassify lèse-majesté as a compoundable offence, and reduce the penalty from 3–15 years’ imprisonment to a maximum of one year and/or a fine not exceeding THB 300,000 (approx. EUR 7,891). Among the 44 former MPs subject to ethical proceedings, 10 are currently serving as MPs under the Move Forward Party’s successor, the People’s Party, including party leader Mr. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and deputy leader Ms. Sirikanya Tansakun. While the Supreme Court declined to suspend these 10 MPs, it ordered them not to repeat the conduct under complaint and prohibited them from expressing opinions on the matter. The Court further warned that any violation of these conditions could lead to reconsideration of its decision not to impose suspension.
