Thailand could be heading for prolonged political unrest, after election-winning Move Forward party sidelined

There have been interventions from the Constitutional Court over the years, and several parties have been dissolved by the court, Dr Hewison pointed out. 

“So they’re playing a very central role in the formation and the stability of governments within the parliamentary system.”

WHAT IS NEXT FOR THAILAND? 

On Wednesday, Pheu Thai announced that it would form a new coalition without Move Forward, whose platform to reform the royal defamation law made it impossible to rally enough support from other parties and the Senate.

Assistant Professor Surachanee Hammerli Sriyai, lecturer and digital governance track lead from the School of Public Policy at Chiang Mai University, said Pheu Thai is hoping that senators will back its prime minister candidate Mr Srettha, now that Move Forward has been sidelined and “will almost certainly now be an opposition party”. 

“I think Pheu Thai has negotiated enough to make sure that whatever scenario it takes, it will have enough votes,” she told CNA938’s Asia First on Thursday. 

“You have to be sure to finally take this route.”