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Former MP banned for life over monarchy-related post

Former MP banned for life over monarchy-related post

BANGKOK: Former Member of Parliament Pannika Wanich has been handed a lifetime ban from participating in politics by the Supreme Court due to a picture she posted online 13 years ago, which was deemed disrespectful to the monarchy.


By National News Bureau of Thailand

Friday 22 September 2023 12:35 PM


Photo: NBT

Photo: NBT

The court cited a breach of ethical standards expected of individuals in political positions, reports state news agency NNT.

While the ban prevents her from running in elections or holding any political office for life, it does not strip her of her right to vote. In response, Pannika noted that it restricts her from seeking or holding political office but not from engaging in other political work, the agency noted.

Pannika, aged 35, had already faced a 10-year political ban along with 16 executives of the Future Forward Party when the party was dissolved in February 2020 due to a breach of funding regulations. Following the ban, she founded the Progressive Movement, a policy think-tank affiliated with the new Move Forward Party.

The recent ruling stemmed from a complaint initiated by Srisuwan Janya in June 2019. The National Anti-Corruption Commission accused Pannika of violating ethical standards by failing to remove or restrict access to controversial content on her social media. 

The case revolved around pictures posted on her Facebook account in 2010, which the Supreme Court deemed disrespectful to the monarchy and a violation of constitutional requirements for MPs regarding social media posts related to the royal institution.