Thai progressives confident in royal insult policy case

Thailand’s progressive Move Forward Party, which won this year’s election but was shut out of government, said Monday it was confident about a court case probing campaign pledges to reform royal insult laws. MFP won most seats in the May poll, but then-leader Pita Limjaroenrat was blocked from becoming prime minister by conservative forces in the upper house of parliament. The party’s vow to reform Thailand’s tough lese-majeste laws spooked the largely royalist, pro-military senate, whose members were appointed by the last junta.