Youth on the streets after the dissolution of the New Future party

Text by: Carol Isoux

For the past few days, thousands of Thai students have been gathering in public places and their universities. They protest against the dissolution of an opposition political party.

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From our correspondent in Bangkok,

On February 21, 2020, the Thai Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the dissolution of the Nouvel Avenir party , responding to a request from the Election Commission. The party had surprised the legislative elections of March 2019 by coming third, winning more than 80 seats in Parliament. Its representatives were complete strangers to the general public a few weeks before the elections.

Their success had been built on a very harsh tone towards the military, who interfere in Thai political life. They also promised a change in the Constitution to reduce their influence. The youth had won them over. But quickly they had become the number one public enemy.

Today, around thirty lawsuits are brought against party officials, notably for sedition. They are accused of all evils and above all of not being loyal enough to the constitutional monarchy. This leads observers to consider this dissolution as a political act, even if officially, the reason is different.

The court based its verdict on a loan of 5 million euros granted by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the leader of Nouvel Avenir, to his own party during the campaign. A loan that contravened, she said, the laws on the financing of political parties.

In solidarity with you all. https://t.co/XT6eIVVBjf

Fear of new " red shirts "

It had been a long time since the youth had mobilized as much in Thailand. But this mobilization fears new episodes of street violence, as the country has known in its recent history. However, for many, this scenario remains unlikely. These young “ new generation ” Thai people, as they like to call themselves, come from urban, rather privileged, backgrounds. They therefore have very little in common with the “ red shirt ” peasants who had occupied the streets of the capital during the last social conflicts. The latter protested not only against the absence of democracy, but also against the very difficult living conditions in the countryside.

These " red shirts " are often the children of supporters of the former ruling military junta, while today's conflict is more generational than social. Before these demonstrations, this new generation was said to be unable to leave their screen and demonstrate elsewhere than on Twitter. However, this same disparaged youth is found today in the street.

► Read also: the Constitutional Court dissolves the opposition party New Future

Unclear political future

Now that the party is dissolved, its leaders are banned from all political activity for the next ten years, six million voters are wondering about their political future. Thanathorn ask them to stay mobilized. Even if the party is dissolved, it intends to launch a large social movement to change the country through civil society. But for now, the project remains unclear. A dozen deputies have already defected to join the ranks of another political party.

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