US concerned about developments in legal system after Thailand election
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The United States said it was watching the post-election developments, and that includes the recent developments in the legal system.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON - The United States is concerned about developments in Thailand’s legal system, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Monday, after two separate complaints against the leader of the party that won the most seats in a May 14 election.
Thailand’s Parliament is preparing a second vote on Wednesday
An initial vote last week for Mr Pita – who
US officials have said little about the post-election developments in Thailand, a longstanding military ally in a region where the US is wary of China’s growing influence.
Asked at a regular press briefing about the situation in Thailand, Mr Miller said Washington does not have a preferred outcome in the Thai election, but supports a process that reflects the will of the Thai people.
“We are very closely watching the post-election developments – that includes the recent developments in the legal system, which are of concern,” Mr Miller said.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has accepted a complaint against Mr Pita and Move Forward over a plan to change a law that prohibits insults against the royal family.
The Election Commission has also recommended that the same court disqualify Mr Pita over ownership of shares in a media company in violation of electoral rules.
The cases have raised concerns that the court could disqualify Mr Pita from office or dissolve Move Forward, as it did in 2020 with the party’s predecessor Future Forward.
Asked to comment on this, Mr Miller said he would not “speculate about how we might react to events that have not yet occurred”, but repeated that recent developments were of concern. REUTERS
