Thai Govt's Payout Package To Be Reviewed By Court

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Govt's payout package to be reviewed by court

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Though the Administrative Court will not issue an injunction for the compensation of people affected by political disturbances between 2005 and 2010, it will launch a judicial review into the matter, Democrat MP Sathit Pitutecha said yesterday.

"The court does not see an urgency in warranting an injunction because the payment of compensations will be a lengthy process before the money is actually disbursed," he said.

Sathit explained that he was representing taxpayers and wanted to look into the compensations on grounds of there being unclear guidelines.

"I sympathise with every victim of political violence, but at the same time I owe it to the taxpayers to ensure that state funds are being disbursed effectively," he said.

Sathit will initially seek a court order to repeal the March 6 Cabinet resolution sanctioning the compensation package, before he takes the case to court.

He said he was against payments being given to people, dead or alive, linked to criminal acts. It is unacceptable that surviving family members of dead victims would be entitled to compensation simply because criminal charges had been dropped upon the death of the perpetrators, he added.

For instance, a family in Udon Thani is going to get compensated even though the deceased was killed by a fire bomb he was trying to throw into the home of former deputy transport minister Prajak Kaewklahan, he said.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said the authorities were prepared to compensate all surviving family members who are the next of kin.

In case there are two or more individuals entitled to compensation, the payment would be divided into equal shares, he said, adding that common-law spouses are also eligible.

The payments should be handed out within one to two weeks, Yongyuth said, adding that it would not be a one-off payment. For instance, for the maximum package of Bt7.5 million per dead victim, Bt3 million will be paid up front and |the remaining Bt4.5 million will be provided under an instalment plan.

-- The Nation 2012-03-10