Activist Petitions Justice Minister On Proposed Pardon Decree

[Lite Beer]

Activist petitions Justice Minister on proposed pardon decree

BANGKOK, Nov 22 - Thailand's Network of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land coordinator on Tuesday submitted a letter signed by more than 30,000 petitioners to Justice Minister Pol Gen Pracha Promnog opposing the issuance of a royal pardon decree which benefits any particular person.

Network coordinator Dr Tul Sitthisomwong, commonly known as the leader of the multi-coloured group, said he collected 32,948 signatures of persons disagreeing with the revision of the decree on royal pardons and he submitted the petition to Gen Pracha.

The justice minister is responsible for proposing royal pardons for convicts on the occasion of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday on Dec 5 this year.

Dr Tul urged Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to inform the public about the draft herself, and to compare it with previous such drafts endorsed in 1997 and 2010, to assure the public that no change has been made to specifically help her brother, fugitive ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Gen Pracha received the complaint letter from the network himself and reaffirmed to the movement that no significant change of the decree has been made in the draft in which the prime minister will today present to His Majesty King Bhumibol for consideration.

The justice minister said the current draft combined the essence of the decree endorsed in 2010 by the previous Democrat-led government and in 1997 together without deleting the conditions barring those convicted of drug and corruption charges from applying for a royal pardon.

Gen Pracha reaffirmed Mr Thaksin is not also on the list of convicts eligible to be granted royal pardon this year and said that every process has complied with the law.

Mr Thaksin on Sunday released a letter from Dubai where he mainly stays in self-imposed exile saying he could not accept any preferential treatment for royal pardon.

The activist's move came after last week's cabinet meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, secretly revised the draft on the annual royal pardon amid fears among the public that this could benefit the ousted ex-premier.

The Network of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land on Monday submitted a letter to the Privy Council opposing the issuance of the controversial amnesty decree and called on the privy councillors to consider the case carefully.

The yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) also threatened to protest the government move but later put it off after the government backed down on the case.

Mr Thaksin, ousted in a coup in 2006, was sentenced in absentia in 2008 to two years imprisonment for abuse of power by helping his then wife acquire a parcel of prime Bangkok commercial land at a price far below its market value. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-11-22

[givenall]

This government needs to watch at all time. They may say onething and then the act differently

They for sure trying to submit a pardon degree even thoughthey continue to say they will not. Dishonestly at it highest

[webfact]

PM confirms Thaksin's name is not included in the royal pardon decree list for Dec 5 /via ThaiPBS /TANN

[sparebox2]

I think PAD created Dr. Tul just incase anything happen to Sondhi.

It started when Sondhi survive the shoot out.

[webfact]

Pardon Decree Sent for King's Endorsement

The justice minister affirms the draft royal pardon decree submitted for His Majesty the King's approval today provides no room for fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to escape his jail sentence.

Justice Minister Police General Pracha Promnok said the draft royal pardon decree has already been put forward for His Majesty the King's endorsement today.

He maintained it contains no particular criteria that could benefit fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The minister said the details of the draft decree are similar to the previous two issued in 2004 and 2010, with Article 4 that requires eligible convicts serve their prison time for a while left intact.

Pracha said roughly 26,000 inmates will be granted royal clemency under decree to be issued on the occasion of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday on December 5.

He guaranteed with his ministerial position that Thaksin is not on the list of those to be granted royal pardon this time.

On the red-shirt petition with three million names of people asking for royal pardon for Thaksin, Pracha said his ministry's officials are still in process of verifying the signatures, which he said should be completed soon.

The minister remarked his statement today was in response to the submission of a complaint by multicolored-shirt group leader Doctor Tul Sitthisomwong against the issuance of the royal pardon decree in favor of the fugitive ex-premier.

Tul earlier sent an open letter to Thaksin slamming him for not feeling remorse despite the Supreme Court's division for cases against politicians finding him guilty of abuse of power and ordering 40 billion baht of his assets confiscated.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-22

[E1717007]

thais are very forgetful and very forgiven but having freedom without admitting guilt and doing time is definitely unacceptable

[Puccini]

From the news article in the OP:

Thailand's Network of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land coordinator on Tuesday submitted a letter signed by more than 30,000 petitioners to Justice Minister Pol Gen Pracha Promnog opposing the issuance of a royal pardon decree which benefits any particular person.

No need to worry. A clause in the decree giving amnesty to all convicted persons aged 60 and older does not benefit any particular person. If somebody happens to be over 60, that's just his good luck, isn't it?

[lannarebirth]

From the news article in the OP:

Thailand's Network of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land coordinator on Tuesday submitted a letter signed by more than 30,000 petitioners to Justice Minister Pol Gen Pracha Promnog opposing the issuance of a royal pardon decree which benefits any particular person.

No need to worry. A clause in the decree giving amnesty to all convicted persons aged 60 and older does not benefit any particular person. If somebody happens to be over 60, that's just his good luck, isn't it?

According to Pracha it still excludes fugitives and those charged with corruption, but who really knows?

[tominbkk]

thais are very forgetful and very forgiven but having freedom without admitting guilt and doing time is definitely unacceptable

Hmmm, not really sure about that. Throw the right money into the right pockets and anything is possible!

[MaiChai]

Best thing for Thailand is if Taksin goes away. Lets move on please.

Seems to me the only people who care about Taksin are those who are on his bank roll?