The largest party in the country’s parliament, the Move Forward Party, was forced to disband and its leaders were banned from politics for 10 years for demanding reforms in a law which makes criticism of the monarchy in any form punishable offense

Wednesday was nothing short of high drama in Thai politics as Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, was also temporarily suspended from serving as a legislator by the Constitutional Court, just as parliamentarians were debating his eligibility to stand for the prime minister’s post

The Move Forward Party and the Pheu Thai Party emerged as the largest parties in the parliament. However, pro-junta parties still have a better chance of forming the government

Different groups are trying to mobilize for repealing Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, which they argue has been weaponized as a tool for political repression by the pro-military government

Thailand has recently seen a massive surge in COVID-19 infections, with a seven-day average of 15,500 cases per day. The government is under fire from the opposition and protesters for its mishandling of the pandemic

Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and five other members of his cabinet face a no-confidence motion from the opposition over allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the pandemic

Over the past five years, the junta has put in place a constitution which consolidates its position in the governance. However, a series of protests and the emergence of a new political force indicates that resistance will continue to attempts by the military to maintain its power