Banned almost–prime minister of Thailand: ‘Politics must be moral and realistic’

Pita Limjaroenrat (45) was set to become Thailand’s next prime minister, but in 2024 the Thai Constitutional Court dissolved his progressive Move Forward Party and banned him from politics. He now reflects publicly on the policy values that brought the party to prominence. Values and pragmatism must go together. In Thailand’s 2023 election, my party won on a platform that was unapologetically value-driven: democracy, fairness, equality before the law, and an economy that works for ordinary people. But values alone cannot change a country. We need a governing strategy that understands constraints, institutions, state capacity, and sequencing to translate values into workable policies.

Political movement must keep its moral compass steady while adjusting its methods to the terrain. It means insisting on civilian control of the military but understanding that reforms need to be phased and negotiated. It means supporting marriage equality while also planning the bureaucratic plumbing that makes the law operational. It means wanting to decentralize power but also being realistic about administrative bottlenecks and political resistance. In Southeast Asia especially, politics demands this dual mindset. If we are only pragmatic, we become cynical. If we are only value-driven, we become symbolic. A sustainable movement lives in the space between the two.

At first glance, the values in business and politics appear to belong to different worlds.

“Values and pragmatism must go together.”

In discussing the approach to governance, the emphasis is on balancing ideals with practical constraints, reforming institutions, and ensuring policies translate into workable laws and administrative systems.

Author’s note: This summary preserves the core quotes and themes from Pita Limjaroenrat’s public reflections on the Move Forward Party’s values, practical governance, and the need for a dual mindset in Southeast Asian politics. The text remains faithful to the original statements, presenting them without distortion.

Universiteit Leiden — 2025-11-18

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