Chalerm To Spearhead Amnesty Bill For Thaksin

[webfact]

POLITICS

Chalerm to spearhead amnesty bill for Thaksin

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has vowed to push for the amnesty bill designed to rescue those impacted by the 2006 coup, including former prime minister Thaksin Shinwatra, Thai Rath online reported on Thursday.

"The amnesty will to aim to help just Thaksin but everyone in the wake of the 2006 coup," he said.

Chalerm said the amnesty would not cover the culprits behind the 91 deaths in connection with the last year's political mayhem.

He said the Pheu Thai push for amnesty and his attempt to bring Thaksin home were not a secret but a campaign pledge since 2009.

"I have pledged to ensure Thaksin's homecoming since I led the 2009 byelection campaign in Sakon Nakhon, Si Sa Ket and Maha Sarakham," he said.

The legal issues involving Thaksin were not about the rule of law but stemmed from the coup to oust him from his elected office, he said, arguing Thaksin's fugitive status was not the main contentious issue for the amnesty review.

Even the then coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin conceded he had been duped into staging the power seizure, therefore there was no justification to fault Thaksin, he said.

He said he saw the Pheu Thai's sweeping victory as the mandate to grant amnesty. The general election outcome reflected the voice of the people on the amnesty issue, he said, ruling out a referendum.

He went on to state that the amnesty provisions would benefit the red as well as the yellow shirts. All parties and individuals faced with criminal proceedings stemming from the coup would be avail to amnesty, he said, denying the clemency would cover the Bt46 billion asset seizure involving Thaksin and his family.

The asset seizure happened under the civil proceedings.

The deputy prime minister said there would be no clemency for those who ordered the anti-riot operations last year because the bloodshed was the result of the use of excessive force which had no linkage to the coup.

He said he anticipated the opposition to object to the amnesty and that he expected to overcome such opposition. He claimed that a number o f opposition lawmakers might vote in support of amnesty.

He said even though the Senate might reject the bill, the amnesty could still be enacted if the House reaffirmed its majority support.

He said he has yet to decide when to present the amnesty bill for the House deliberation. At this juncture, his two priorities are the drug suppression and the supervision of the police investigations into the 91 deaths, he said, hinting the amnesty debate might take place next year following the conclusion of the drug campaign.

In regard to the 91 deaths, he said police made significant progress. One of the police reports had already been submitted for the prosecution review, he said.

He said the police proceedings were aimed at the convening of the judicial inquiry on the cause of death. Facts behind the 91 deaths would come out, he said.

Under relevant laws, anti-riot forces would not be held accountable for the deaths, he said, hinting he wanted to target the political overseers of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation.

He said the cases on the 91 deaths should be resolved although he had not checked relevant provisions whether the overseers of the CRES had the immunity granted by the emergency decree.

-- The Nation 2011-11-24

[EyesWideOpen]

<deleted> ????? Thailand is trying to recover from the worst natural disaster in its history, yet all I see is daily headlines about Chalerm trying to bring back Thaksin. Doesn't he have some actual work to do, as in recovery efforts??

[culicine]

His time would be better spent taking food parcels to down and out redshirts in Patum Thani and Don Muang.

lets see - right now we have no Taksin - peace with no protests

But as soon there's even a hint to get him returned, protests were being organised.

If Taksin cares at all about Thailand he will stay exactly where he is. I hope this red shirt government will be able to deal with 100000 yellow shirt protesters gridlocking Bangkok. Believe me it WILL happen.

[MunterHunter]

Amnesty for everyone! (except those i do not like)

[slapout]

The man has experience at getting people out of legal entanglements. I wonder if he will try to follow past procedure and try to get the man off as well as reinstated to his past position? Both are such poor excuses, for the Thai people, much less the real world.

[jonclark]

Amnesty for everyone! (except those i do not like)

Excellent idea, clear everyone so everyone can repeat the same mistakes in the future with a clean slate - brilliant idea. Chalerm for PM!!!!

[Mosha]

His time would be better spent taking food parcels to down and out redshirts in Patum Thani and Don Muang.

lets see - right now we have no Taksin - peace with no protests

But as soon there's even a hint to get him returned, protests were being organised.

If Taksin cares at all about Thailand he will stay exactly where he is. I hope this red shirt government will be able to deal with 100000 yellow shirt protesters gridlocking Bangkok. Believe me it WILL happen.

Except this time the police won't stand by and do nothing.

[MunterHunter]

Except this time the police won't stand by and do nothing.

The police in this country are good for one thing, and one thing only... extortion.

If you believe they will do "something" when/if there are more protests, then i say to you that you are dreaming

[gl555]

Well at least the man is honest. He takes a whole chunk of money from Thaksin so now he's earning it.

[elcent]

The legal issues involving Thaksin were not about the rule of law but stemmed from the coup to oust him from his elected office, he said, arguing Thaksin's fugitive status was not the main contentious issue for the amnesty review.

so Thaksin elected his office, but was not elected to this office at that time. Still he acted like a cock before a cock fight and lost.

[garrfeild]

Amnesty for everyone! (except those i do not like)

So much for reconciliation. More demo's to follow then.

[exeter]

Unbelieveable!

Dont worry about the floods. 300bts day? Coming soon to someone near your. Tablets for all kids? How about a paracetamol. Running the country is a dodle.

By the way all the election promises we made, we forgot to mention one can you guess what that might be?

[Hobiecat]

Well we all knew it was coming............coup of 2012 here we come!

[webfact]

Deputy PM Pledges to Proceed with Amnesty Push

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has pledged to proceed with the amnesty bill when the time is right.

He also discounts the concern about possible protests from the public.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has commented on public opposition to the recent attempt to bring amnesty for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, pointing out that such an action is common in a democratic system.

Chalerm reiterated that amnesty is one of the policies promoted by the Pheu Thai Party since 2009.

He added that the party's landslide victory in the latest election proved that most people support this.

He reaffirmed that the government will bring about amnesty only to achieve national reconciliation, not to benefit any individual.

Chalerm claims that his party has been falsely accused of corruption and supporting the anti-monarchy movement but yet still has the people's support.

He said the issues of narcotics crackdown and investigating the 91 deaths during last year's red-shirt unrest are the main priorities of the government.

When asked whether the attempt to initiate the amnesty process would destabilize the government, Chalerm responded that this is what the people who have voted for his party wants.

He discounted the possibility of clashes among the pro- and anti-Thaksin camps because of this issue.

The deputy prime minister added that the issue of amnesty is not aimed to return the assets seized from the former premier.

When inquired if he has the approval of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to proceed with the amnesty push, Chalerm said they have never discussed this because she already knows what he is trying to do.

Chalerm also asks for Yingluck to be left alone to tend to economic problems.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-24

[elcent]

Unbelieveable!

Dont worry about the floods. 300bts day? Coming soon to someone near your. Tablets for all kids? How about a paracetamol. Running the country is a dodle.

By the way all the election promises we made, we forgot to mention one can you guess what that might be?

Everybody knows what happens to a cock who lost the fight here in Thailand. It's time for Dubai to send this cock over by expelling him for conducting illegal cock-fighting activities there.

[smedly]

I'm confused, wasn't Taksin found guilty of corruption and abuse of power while in office, the coup has nothing to do with this, if only the people could count all those zeros and comprehend just how much money this man made off Thailand and it's people when they look at his bank balance - then they would understand what they are supporting - an extremely corrupt and evil man that is still manipulating them from afar, you want to blame the 91 deaths on someone - well look no further thatn Mr T, he is the one that incited people with his ill gotton gains to go to Bangkok and break the law, what a sad state of affairs, god help us all if he ever sets foot in this country again. He will not stop until he has had his revenge and restored his face by whatever means

[Oberkommando]

The inevitable civil conflict takes a step closer to fruition.

It has been on the cards since 2005. The only question is how bad and bloody it will get.

The police in this country are good for one thing, and one thing only... extortion.

The whole society is built on extortion, bullying and corruption and the house of cards is about to tumble.

Just remember a leopard never changes its spots, whatever comes to pass.

[Roadman]

I would think that this idiot of a deputy PM will be starting to iritate the opposition (not the Democrats) into actions that will be yet again detrimential to Thailand. Putting aside the bring back Thaksin campaign that he seems to think he has a mandate for on an election vote when wage increases would have been a major successful vote catcher, some of the statements he is spewing out are not his to make, consider or judge upon. He is an MP not a member of the judicary. If there was strong leadership in his party instead of the poor excuse for an PM that is in place he would have been shut up by now.

[Oberkommando]

I'm confused, wasn't Taksin found guilty of corruption and abuse of power while in office, the coup has nothing to do with this, if only the people could count all those zeros and comprehend just how much money this man made off Thailand and it's people when they look at his bank balance - then they would understand what they are supporting - an extremely corrupt and evil man that is still manipulating them from afar, you want to blame the 91 deaths on someone - well look no further thatn Mr T, he is the one that incited people with his ill gotton gains to go to Bangkok and break the law, what a sad state of affairs, god help us all if he ever sets foot in this country again. He will not stop until he has had his revenge and restored his face by whatever means

Unfortunately he's not the problem, he's just one of the pigs at the trough.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Oberkommando

[KKvampire]

Ditto from a previous thread. "Chalerm from the deepest sewer in Thailand"

[Skywalker69]

<deleted> ????? Thailand is trying to recover from the worst natural disaster in its history, yet all I see is daily headlines about Chalerm trying to bring back Thaksin. Doesn't he have some actual work to do, as in recovery efforts??

1. No we can se were the PTP. priorities lays, absolutly not for "all thais" but for one thai and one thai only. :annoyed:

2. I bet Khun T. has promised Khun Chalerm a LOT of money if he can help bring Khun T. back to Thailand.

[ramrod711]

Amnesty for everyone! (except those i do not like)

Excellent idea, clear everyone so everyone can repeat the same mistakes in the future with a clean slate - brilliant idea. Chalerm for PM!!!!

no mention as to whether or not the amnesty will apply to the person that ordered the killing of 2500 alleged drug dealers

[Siripon]

A lot of people voted for Pheua Thai because of its policies, nothing to do with Thaksin's return.

[DP25]

A lot of people voted for Pheua Thai because of its policies, nothing to do with Thaksin's return.

Yup. And a lot people just voted for the same local political elite that have ruled their area for decades. They didn't elect fresh new leaders in most districts, just the same old corrupt elite that has been impoverishing them for personal gain for decades.

[webfact]

Chalerm vows to bring ex-PM Thaksin home

BANGKOK, Nov 24 - Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung on Thursday said he will continue to push for an amnesty law which will pave the way for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return home.

The move however would kickstart only after the government's campaign against drugs and the cases of 91 Red Shirt protest-related deaths have concluded with those held accountable for the deaths being brought to justice, he said.

Mr Chalerm stated that he had to honour his campaign pledge in the lead up to the July 3 election.

"I had made it clear since 2009 that those who agree with my idea (to return Mr Thaksin to Thailand) should vote for the Pheu Thai Party. Then the result of July 3, 2011 election was in itself a referendum," he said.

The deputy prime minister commented following an uproar from the opposition Democrat Party and anti-Thaksin movements which slammed the government's attempt to seek royal pardon for Mr Thaksin, an elder brother of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Mr Chalerm shrugged off the reaction from the opponents of the draft royal pardon decree.

"I have no problem with those who opposed the move but I insist that the decree is not meant for any particular person but for the sake of national reconciliation and that will benefit us all," he said.

The deputy prime minister said he would push the amnesty draft through parliament.

Mounting criticism and a public outcry have forced the government to back down on the amnesty move.

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

Prime Minister Yingluck recently said that her brother's name was not on the list of the convicts applying for the proposed royal pardon as part of celebrations to mark His Majesty King Bhumibol's birthday on Dec 5. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-11-24

[DP25]

The general election outcome reflected the voice of the people on the amnesty issue, he said, ruling out a referendum.

Not gonna try a referendum because they know if it came to getting a majority of the vote to pardon Thaksin they couldn't do it

[MaiChai]

Why is an amnesty bill required when all people need to do is obay existing laws? Otherwise we get into this silly situation where there are multiple laws/rulings that can be applied to a situation and the legal system then needs to choose which law is most appropriate?

Again, just manipulating the system to benefit some people. What about the rest of us who obay the laws?

PS: Laws were broken by reds and yellows and the law applys to all.

[AleG]

If the election was a referendum on bringing Thaksin back and annul his sentence (and I presume toss aside all the other charges pending) then they lost 48% to 52%.

[exeter]

If you were Khun T would you come back? Sure a lot love him, it only takes one who really is pissed off to make it a short visit.

[KKvampire]

A lot of people voted for Pheua Thai because of its policies, nothing to do with Thaksin's return.

Yup. And a lot people just voted for the same local political elite that have ruled their area for decades. They didn't elect fresh new leaders in most districts, just the same old corrupt elite that has been impoverishing them for personal gain for decades.

A very good point, at the last election there were many candidates who stood advocating the country break away from, the "Mafia and corrupt method" of running affairs and the Thai people voted for the same old people with their same ways, Its a sad indictment on the voters and the country and doesnt give it much hope for a future of uncorrupted government at all levels.

Edited November 24, 2011 by KKvampire