Rising Thai political star hit with sedition charge

The telegenic leader of an anti-junta political party who rose to prominence in Thailand's election last month was charged with sedition yesterday, drawing hundreds of his supporters onto the streets urging him to "fight". Billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit heads the youth-oriented Future Forward Party which won more than six million votes in the March 24 poll, the first since a 2014 coup, with its message of ousting the military from politics. It had joined an anti-junta coalition with six others claiming the right to form a government in the aftermath of the disputed vote whose full results are expected by May 9. Earlier this week he posted on Facebook that police had summoned him to appear today to face a sedition charge relating to anti-junta rallies in 2015. He said the charge was "politically motivated".