Democrats Seek Clarity From Truth Commission

[Lite Beer]

Democrats seek clarity from Truth commission

Pimnara Pradabwit

The Nation on Sunday

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut yesterday called on the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) to make it clear that people facing criminal charges related to last year's political turmoil do not qualify for any special treatment.

Violations of the state of emergency - such as gatherings of more than 10 people - along with lese-majeste offences or computer crimes can be counted as political charges; suspects in such cases may be granted bail or transferred to special detention areas, the spokesman said.

However, violent crimes such as arson, armed robbery, M79 grenade-launcher attacks and hotel raids should not be seen as political charges, and this has not been made clear by the TRCT, chaired by Kanit na Nakhon, the spokesman said.

If the TRCT does not clarify this point, the message could be distorted and backfire, leading to conflicts, Chavanond said.

He called on the government to listen to different opinions and exercise the utmost caution not to stir up conflicts, adding that it must allow transparency and not interfere in investigations.

"This message is intended for Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung. I hope he will stop verbally interfering in the judicial process. If he continues to speak like this, there will always be people who refuse to accept the results of the investigations," Chavanond said.

The Democrat spokesman said the TRCT had cited the share-concealment case involving former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in 2004 as the origin of conflicts in the country, as attempts were made to interfere in the work of independent organisations.

Meanwhile, he said, the parliamentary domination of the Thai Rak Thai Party led to the abuse of laws.

On a separate topic, Chavanond played a video clip showing men in black clothes attacking people during last year's political turmoil.

He said the red shirts had tried to politicise the deaths of 91 people during the violence, while ignoring the fact that 11 soldiers and other people not involved in the protests were also killed.

Chavanond said he played the video clip for the benefit of Chalerm, who has refused to acknowledge the existence of the so-called "men in black".

-- The Nation 2011-12-11

[Bakseedaa]

I always thought certain "men in black" had been captured and spilled the beans. Were they not a rebel band of Border Guards taken and re-trained in Cambodia by the now dead Seh Daeng..?