Thai anti-graft body begins new investigation into opposition politicians

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's anti-corruption commission on Friday said it had launched an investigation into 44 members of the disbanded Move Forward party, 25 of who are current parliamentarians, for supporting legislation seeking to amend the royal insult law.

It comes less than a month after a court ordered the dissolution of Move Forward over its election campaign pledge to amend the lese majesete law. After being disbanded, the group reorganised as the People's Party and remains the largest party in parliament.

The royal insult law shields the crown from criticism and carries a jail sentence of up to 15 years. Opponents of the law say it has been used to stifle opposition.

"We have started calling relevant individuals to hear the facts," National Anti-Corruption Commission deputy secretary-general Sarote Phuengrampan told Reuters, adding an investigative panel had been established.

"We are not calling all 44, only some of them," he said.

"This step is to collect evidence, but no one has been charged yet."

Under the commission's procedures, if the panel finds sufficient evidence of unethical behaviour, it would then charge people, who can present a defence before a decision is taken on whether to prosecute them in court.

Move Forward were the surprise winners of last year's elections, supported by urban and youth voters who favoured its anti-establishment policies including military reform and undoing business monopolies. However, it was blocked from forming a government by lawmakers allied with the royalist military.

A court previously handed a lifetime ban from politics to a Move Forward politician over social media posts that were deemed disrespectful to the monarchy.

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, writing by Chayut Setboonsarng, Editing by John Mair)