ROYAL DECREE

Activists petition Council of State against amnesty

The Nation

A team of activists on Thursday petitioned the Council of State against the government's royal amnesty draft, which they believe would benefit runaway ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

The team is led by Dr Tul Sutthisomwong, leader of the Network for Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land.

The petition cited widespread media reports that the government planned to issue a decree of the annual royal amnesty to mark HM the King's birthday in December.

The draft incorporates extra changes to this year's annual amnesty to benefit Thaksin, brother of PM Yingluck.

During a confidential Cabinet forum Tuesday, limited to only a handful of ministers and officials, it was decided that people convicted of corruption would be entitled to receive this year's amnesty.

Last year's royal decree, under which prisoners were released to mark the monarch's birthday, excluded people convicted of drug trading and corruption.

Tul said the proclaimed changes to the annual amnesty included another key point that would fully benefit Thaksin, who has yet to serve a day in prison.

The changes to the bill, particularly to cover people convicted of corruption in the amnesty, were aimed at benefiting Thaksin, because he is the only one that meets the criteria.

Tul said that the network therefore wished express its opinions to the Council of State via its Secretariat against the draft because the draft has been amended to benefit an individual. It hoped that the Secretariat would consider the petition and make the correct recommendations to the Cabinet.

Tul added that the network would like to invite people to join the rally in front of the Rama VI statue on Friday, starting at 4pm.

-- The Nation 2011-11-17

I'm convinced that even if he did return the army would assassinate him sooner or later.

fasteddie, I've been thinking that might be the only solution - perhaps it's better we let him back sooner rather than later, so they have him in their sights....

I'm convinced that even if he did return the army would assassinate him sooner or later.

As we have seen in many asian countries: Philippines, Pakistan, India, Egypt, Burma, etc.