A Thai court has ordered the dissolution of the reformist party which won the most seats and votes in last year’s election but was blocked from forming a government.

The ruling also banned Move Forward’s charismatic, young former leader Pita Limjaroenrat and 10 other senior figures from politics for 10 years.

The verdict from the Constitutional Court was expected, after its ruling in January that Move Forward’s campaign promise to change royal defamation laws was unconstitutional.

The verdict again serves as a stark reminder of how far unelected institutions are willing to go to preserve the power and status of the monarchy.