Censure Debate Against Pracha May Lack Sting

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Censure debate against Pracha may lack sting

Jintana Panyaarvudh

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

The censure motion against Justice Minister Pracha Promnok this Sunday will not be as exciting as expected.

The opposition Democrat Party last week filed the censure and impeachment motions against Pracha, saying he had failed in flood-control efforts and had condoned irregularities in distribution of relief supplies. Six Pheu Thai MPs were also impeachment targets for transgression in their use of executive power in handling the flooding situation.

Although the motion stated only the failure and corruption accusations over flood management, the head of the government's Flood Relief Operations Centre, is expected to be grilled over the royal pardon decree. As the justice minister, Pracha is responsible for proposing the controversial decree.

The first censure debate under Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is likely to be used by the opposition to launch attacks against the PM and her brother Thaksin.

Paijit Sriworakhan, a senior MP from the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said he was convinced that opposition lawmakers, particularly those from the Democrat Party, would "make a free kick" during the debate against Yingluck and Thaksin.

"This is going to be like a censure debate against the prime minister," he said.

"It's just that Pracha will be the person who gets shot at, and not the prime minister. So we have to help him," said Paijit, who is one of the coalition whips.

Moreover, it would be like killing two birds with one stone. Grilling Pracha could be a tactic of the opposition to discredit one of the candidates for prime minister in case Yingluck is unable to continue in her post due to any "emergency case".

But it seems that the opposition could miss their target as Pracha has come out to defend himself and the government in public by denying the pardon decree would benefit fugitive Thaksin.

Pracha on Sunday held a press conference saying that Thaksin would not benefit from the draft royal decree to seek royal pardon for inmates.

"Thaksin will not benefit from the decree and his name will not be included in the list of convicts eligible for royal pardon," Pracha said at a press conference on Sunday.

"Convicts on the run or convicted for corruption will not be eligible," he said. This would mean Thaksin will not meet the criteria for pardon.

Pracha on Monday said he was not worried about the censure debate against him, adding that "the truth is always the truth". He insisted he had nothing to do with any irregularity about the procurement of government relief supplies distributed to flood victims.

So, now apparently Pracha has cleared himself of all allegations, especially the accusation of proposing a royal-pardon decree to benefit Thaksin. Yingluck yesterday assured the public that Thaksin's name is definitely not on the list to receive a royal pardon as the government itself did not propose the list but concerned state agencies. Thaksin himself sent the message that he believed the government won't do anything for any particular individual.

However, it doesn't mean that the Yingluck government has given up helping Thaksin.

Deputy Prime minister Chalerm Yoobumrung yesterday said the government will put in place an amnesty law that can "restore justice to all parties" who were involved in the political conflict, including former prime minister Thaksin.

So, this Sunday's censure debate may be just a prelude to a real parliamentary war that promises to come up as early as the first half of next year when an amnesty bill is expected to be sponsored by the Yingluck government.

-- The Nation 2011-11-23

[whybother]

He insisted he had nothing to do with any irregularity about the procurement of government relief supplies distributed to flood victims.

So, now apparently Pracha has cleared himself of all allegations

"It wasn't me. I was just in charge of it all. I've cleared myself now. Can I go home?"

[sparebox2]

Pracha & Yingluck are only two small clown fish.

The big white shark is Thaksin.

[hanuman1]

Pracha & Yingluck are only two small clown fish.

The big white shark is Thaksin.

So who's the squid?

[FOODLOVER]

Pracha & Yingluck are only two small clown fish.

The big white shark is Thaksin.

So who's the squid?

Dont know but i bet he's well armed.