Future Forward Party

Thai Opposition Figure Vows To Fight On

A billionaire Thai opposition figure accused of defaming the country's monarchy has vowed to keep campaigning for reform, despite facing what he dubbed a "politically motivated" lawsuit.Those convicted under Thailand's strict royal defamation laws can face up to 15 years in jail per charge, and earlier this week a former civil servant was sentenced to more than 43 years for sharing audio clips deemed defamatory to the monarchy. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the f

22 January 2021
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Will Thailand Inspire A Cambodian Spring?

There will be no Cambodian Spring anytime soon. This is the sobering reality to a question so tempting to ask – particularly in the shadow of what’s happening in Thailand and now in Lao PDR. So, why won’t a civil society uprising happen in Cambodia soon?

2 November 2020
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Why Are Thais Criticising Their Monarchy Now?

After a long silence, Thailand’s pro-democracy opposition has returned. Although not clad in red nor do they share allegiances to ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, they have taken aim at Thailand’s ruling power structures.

12 September 2020
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Thai Youth Want Power Returned To The People

The 2014 coup d’état in Thailand was successful because the country’s military had immense power and enjoyed strong support. This power has been embedded in almost all aspects of Thai society for a long time giving the military the capability to design and change political structure at will.

22 August 2020
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Thai students rally against dissolution of FFP

Thai students held rare flashmob protests on Wednesday as anger at the dissolution of a stridently anti-military opposition party bubbles in a kingdom with a long history of raucous street politics.Universities across the country have seen rallies since the Future Forward Party (FFP) was dissolved last Friday over an alleged illegal loan by its billionaire founder.The party won 6.3 million votes in elections last March, earning the loyalty of millennials with its radical agenda to expunge the

27 February 2020
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Thailand denies PM aided in Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal

Thailand's government threatened legal action on Monday against a banned opposition party which claimed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha  aided in the cover-up of Malaysia's 1MDB graft scandal by harbouring a fugitive financier.The stridently anti-military Future Forward Party, the third largest in parliament, was dissolved Friday by a court and its key members banned from politics for a decade.On Sunday Future Forward's spokeswoman Pannika Wanich held a public confere

25 February 2020
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Thai court dissolves Future Forward Party

A stridently anti-military Thai party was dissolved Friday and its key members banned from politics for a decade over a US$6 million loan by its billionaire founder, a withering blow to the kingdom's pro-democracy movement.The ruling could edge the politically febrile kingdom – whose economy is shrinking – closer to the street protests that have scored much of the last 15 years of Thai history.The Future Forward Party (FFP), fronted by the charismatic auto-parts scion, Thanathorn Juangro

22 February 2020
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Thai opposition party survives dissolution bid

A stridently anti-military Thai party survived a first legal attempt to disband it Tuesday over alleged sedition - including links to the Illuminati, a secret group conspiracy theorists say is seeking global domination.The Constitutional Court ruled Future Forward - a pro-democracy party which vehemently opposes the army-aligned establishment - had not shown any intent to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.Dismissing the charge, a judge on the nine-member bench said there was no sign key e

22 January 2020
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How will Thailand’s FFP play its hand?

Earlier this week, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was quoted as saying that rallies were a “waste of time”. He was, of course, referring to Sunday’s Future Forward Party (FFP)-backed rally referred to as “Run Against Dictatorship” by some quarters and “Run to Oust Uncle” by others.“I am not an enemy of anyone.

16 January 2020
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FFP’s anti-government fun run draws thousands

Around 10,000 Thais joined the "Run Against Dictatorship" on Sunday, shouting slogans and wielding three-finger salutes from the Hunger Games films in the largest show of political defiance since the 2014 coup.The runners massed before dawn in a Bangkok park to take a stand against the government, which is led by former junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha and backed by a parliament stacked with MPs loyal to the military.The run was led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the charismatic bi

13 January 2020
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Will Thais stay calm at Future Forward Party run?

Last week, news reports in Thailand revealed that as many as 10,000 anti-government opponents had registered for the “Run Against Dictatorship” event organised by the Future Forward Party. The event is set to take place this Sunday in the country’s capital city, Bangkok.Thai pro-government supporters have decided that they would stage a rival walk on the same day.

9 January 2020
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