Pm Seeks Economic Recovery, Unity

[Lite Beer]

GOVERNMENT AGENDA

PM seeks economic recovery, unity

The Nation on Sunday

Pheu Thai MP Watana says House panel set to unveil amnesty legislation as a solution to political division

Economic recovery and national reconciliation are the government's two top priorities for 2012, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday in her weekly address.

"The government is looking forward to working on implementing economic recovery plans," she said.

Yingluck pledged to ensure a good standard of living and to bring about reconciliation, on top of focusing on the economy.

"Reconciliation and democracy share the same principle - heeding the people's opinions," she said, voicing optimism that an opportunity is at hand for mending fences because the people are weary of division.

For four months since assuming office, she has devoted her full attention to her work, she said, adding that her experience as prime minister had been invaluable because she had learned several lessons that would not have been available to her had she remained a private citizen.

"I know I am not a talker but a doer," she said, arguing that she gave the job her all.

She said one of her proudest moments was the opportunity to take part in the celebrations of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday.

In her New Year's wish, she said 2012 should be filled with smiles, happiness and unity.

"This year we overcame a lot of problems related to the economy, price increases and the flood crisis; nightmares and problems are over and next year will see Thai people smile and reconcile," she said.

Pheu Thai MP Watana Muangsook said the House committee for reconciliation was poised to propose amnesty legislation as a way to end the political turmoil.

"Without an amnesty, blood will spill on the streets again," he said.

Watana said he was concerned that a new round of political violence might erupt within the first four months of the new year.

April would mark the anniversary of the red protests in 2010, and the red shirts might organise a mass rally to seek justice for victims of the riots, he said. The political volatility was likely to increase because the red rally, if it happened, would coincide with the anticipated inquest into 16 deaths during crowd-dispersal operation, he said, noting that rival camps might try to politicise facts coming out of the judicial process.

If the government lost control of the situation, then the red shirts might unleash their wrath on the coalition, he warned.

In a separate New Year wish, House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont said he wanted to see the formation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) to take charge of amending the charter.

"I think the CDA is the best option," he said, expecting that Pheu Thai would introduce a motion on a charter rewrite soon after the break.

Somsak said the CDA should comprise elected drafters in line with democratic principles.

Following completion of agreed changes, the charter draft should be subject to a referendum before being put to Parliament and promulgation.

He ruled out speculation that the government might dissolve the House to call a snap election under the new charter, arguing he saw nothing to justify the government not seeing out its four-year term.

-- The Nation 2012-01-01

[whybother]

Pheu Thai MP Watana says House panel set to unveil amnesty legislation as a solution to political division.

Pheu Thai MP Watana Muangsook said the House committee for reconciliation was poised to propose amnesty legislation as a way to end the political turmoil.

"Without an amnesty, blood will spill on the streets again," he said.

Watana said he was concerned that a new round of political violence might erupt within the first four months of the new year.

How is amnesty legislation a solution to political division when only one side wants it (and a lot of them only want it selectively)?

With amnesty, blood will spill on the streets again, and will definitely cause a new round of political violence.

[Credo]

One side wants amnesty because they perceive that they were the ones who were treated more harshly. Many of the organizers of the take over of gov't house and the airport have had little consequences.

Please note the word 'perceive'. Whether it is true and correct, that's the crux of the problem.

[whybother]

One side wants amnesty because they perceive that they were the ones who were treated more harshly. Many of the organizers of the take over of gov't house and the airport have had little consequences.

Please note the word 'perceive'. Whether it is true and correct, that's the crux of the problem.

Yes, there have been many yellow shirts convicted of various things and many other court cases are in progress, as are earlier red shirt cases.

The "justice system" in Thailand is very slow. That gets forgotten when people trott out the "but the others haven't ..." when ever new protest charges come up.

[Moruya]

Reconciliation is being shafted by one-eyed lawmakers.

On the other hand the economy is about to be raped. National debt will probably double.

[DP25]

Headline should read, 'PM seeks economic recovery, of her brother's 76 billion baht'

[Skywalker69]

"I am not a talker but a doer"

We know she is not a talker.

I would like to know what she has done for the Thai people, so far.