The telegenic leader of a Thai political party who rode to prominence during last month's election on a wave of millennial support stands accused of inciting unrest, he said Wednesday, blaming his latest legal woes on a "dark influence".
Future Forward has joined an anti-junta coalition with six other parties claiming the right to form a government in the aftermath of a disputed vote whose full results will not be ratified until May 9.
But the fierce anti-junta critic said on Facebook he has now been summoned to appear at a Bangkok police station Saturday to hear incitement charges against him which carry a maximum sentence of seven years.
He called it "an old political game" that he expected to intensify after the party's strong election showing.
"The dark influence will not leave Future Forward Party alone," he wrote on his page, where he posted the summons.
Police investigator Charoensit Jongitthi said there were two charges in total and they related back to Thanathorn's actions in 2015, though he would not elaborate.
"That is what I can say for now," he told AFP.
Thanathorn is already facing another case under Thailand's Computer Crimes Act for allegedly spreading false information when he criticised the junta government in a Facebook live discussion last year.
Future Forward is a key member of the anti-junta political coalition led by Pheu Thai, the party linked to self-exiled premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The so-called "democratic front" says it has more than a majority of seats in the lower house, but the junta-backed Phalang Pracharat Party won the popular vote.
But inconsistent counting, inaccurate figures and more than 2 million invalidated ballots have sowed doubt over the poll.
The party aligned with the junta has put forward 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister.
The former army chief is heavily favoured to secure the post thanks to a junta-scripted charter that creates an upper house of appointed senators who vote for prime minister.
The members of the 250 upper house are selected by the military.
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