An online opinion poll, conducted by parliament, has revealed that over 60% of respondents oppose a proposed amnesty bill. This development has prompted Deputy House Speaker Padipat Suntiphada to call for an investigation into the survey's results.

 

The draft bill, spearheaded by Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, seeks to grant amnesty for specific offences committed since the coup on September 19, 2006. Poonsukcharoen's proposal gathered support from 36,723 individuals and was submitted for parliamentary review.

 

Covering a range of offences, the bill includes those charged with lèse majesté, civilians tried by military courts, violators of orders from the military junta, and infractions of the State of Emergency and referendum acts. 

 

In line with Article 77 of the Constitution, parliament conducted an online survey between May 13 and June 12 to gauge public opinion. Out of the 90,503 participants, a significant 64.66% disapproved of the draft bill, while 35.4% were in favor.

 

Reacting to the outcome, Deputy House Speaker Padipat expressed concerns and took to social media platform "X" today to announce his directive for an investigation into the poll.

 

Padipat, formerly an MP for the Move Forward party, was expelled in a manoeuvre to retain the deputy House speakership, albeit under a different party affiliation.

 

Interestingly, the Move Forward party had previously introduced its own amnesty bill on October 6, targeting political offenders involved in protests since 2006. Their version excluded state officials involved in the crackdowns but included those charged with lèse majesté.

 

The Pheu Thai party is also formulating another amnesty bill, sparking controversy for seemingly aiming to protect former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from lèse majesté prosecution.

 

The unfolding scenario highlights the tension and complex political manoeuvring around the contentious issue of amnesty for political offences in Thailand. The ongoing probe will likely shed more light on the public's stance and the integrity of the survey process.

 

Deputy House Speaker Padipat Suntiphada. File photo courtesy: MGR online

 

-- 2024-06-14

 

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3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Pheu Thai party is also formulating another amnesty bill, sparking controversy for seemingly aiming to protect former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from lèse majesté prosecution.

When it suits the upper classes.

Yet they let the student protester die.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Reacting to the outcome, Deputy House Speaker Padipat expressed concerns and took to social media platform "X" today to announce his directive for an investigation into the poll.

100% of Thais want 1 meth tab or less. Dope should be recrimilised. Just two more polls that suit the govt's narrative. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Covering a range of offences, the bill includes those charged with lèse majesté .

 

Thaksin has his first hearing in his lese majeste case on the 18th ...

An Amnesty would come in handy for him ...

Strange timing .

These items should be put to the public with a nationwide vote on the issues. not easily manipulated opinion polls.

If this is true it is strange that so few Thais support the views of their former, much loved and respected, Father of the Nation.

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

When it suits the upper classes.

Yet they let the student protester die.

Really we all should know what this is about. Thaksin has a les majeste charge coming. So he ordered the poll and when it showed results opposite to what he wanted. He then ordered his lackeys to investigate the polling process. Haha.. Only in Thailand. In all my years I have never seen the pollers being investigated. 

 

26 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

If this is true it is strange that so few Thais support the views of their former, much loved and respected, Father of the Nation.

It was an online poll.

Lots of poor folk are not online!

Not so strange if the poll is aimed at rich people with more time on their hands.

Does anyone have faith in the Thai polls anyway?

No amnesty for anyone who staged the military coup. They must be held to account for their crimes.

Typically online polls can be very biased.  There are very few ways you can assure that the respondents form a representative sample of the population.  Also, many online polls don’t stop people from registering their response more than once.

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

When it suits the upper classes.

Yet they let the student protester die.

agreed........see my letter in yesterdays Bangkok Post.

Amnesty bill ....it only depends on the crime. Violating section 112 should be in it as that law was only applied for anti government protestors. Coupmakers never amnesty

"First House Speaker Padipat Suntiphada has ordered an investigation into claims that the military's information operation (IO) has interfered in the public hearing for a draft amnesty bill from the civil sector."

 

This from somewhere else. Apparently there were many votes put forward within the same hour. Wouldnt surprise me one bit.

What is better and more accurate than any poll and represents all Thais regardless of position and income is a VOTE in Parliament by the People's 250 representatives. That’s called Representative Democracy. Going a step even further, hold a national referendum that allows Direct Representation such as used in Switzerland.