BANGKOK: Hundreds of students and supporters held a protest in Bangkok during the weekend against a court decision dissolving Thailand's second largest opposition party, less than a year after an election that ended direct military rule. The Constitutional Court on Friday disbanded the upstart Future Forward Party, which won more than 6 million votes last year and came in third, for taking loans from its founder. The court also banned 16 party executives from politics for 10 years, including its charismatic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. The Student Union of Thailand called a rally at Thammasat University to protest against the dissolution of Future Forward, which draws its support particularly among young voters. "This decision seriously weakens the political opposition for the benefit of the military-backed ruling party and unjustly cancels the votes of over six million Future Forward Party supporters," he said.

Source: The Star February 23, 2020 11:37 UTC