Explainer: Thai court to decide fates of PM and opposition party

BANGKOK, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court will rule on two politically charged cases in the next week that will decide the fate of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the popular opposition party, amid heightened uncertainty over potential upheaval.

Both cases underline intractable rifts in Thai politics, defined by a two-decade struggle between its powerful conservative-royalist establishment, backed by the military, and parties with mass appeal such as Move Forward and Srettha's ruling Pheu Thai.

The court will rule on Wednesday on an election commission complaint seeking Move Forward's dissolution over its campaign to reform a strict law on royal insults that protects the monarchy from criticism.

The complaint followed a January decision by the same court on the constitutionality of Move Forward's campaign, which it ruled was tantamount to an attempt to overthrow the system of government with the king as head of state.

Move Forward rejects that but has since dropped the campaign on the orders of the court.

The party has 30% of house seats after it won last year's election but was blocked by conservative lawmakers from forming a government.

If Move Forward is disbanded, 11 current and former party executives, including Pita Limjar...
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