Thai Govt Ignores KPI's Caution, Goes Ahead With Reconciliation Debate

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RECONCILIATION DEBATE

Govt ignores KPI's caution, goes ahead with reconciliation debate

Photo: Prasert Thepsri

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Ignoring a warning from the King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI), the government went ahead with holding a House debate on measures proposed by the House committee on national reconciliation.

However, MPs from both sides voiced opposing views with Pheu Thai MPs asking the House to continue the debate and opposition Democrat MPs asking for it to be postponed.

Democrat MPs, including opposition and party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, said the debate should be delayed and reiterated KPI's warning that a premature push for certain controversial proposals could lead to renewed conflict and violence.

Yet, the House reconciliation panel's chairman, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, refused to withdraw the proposals, saying his duty involving the issue was "over".

Sonthi, who is now an MP of the Matubhum Party, led the September 2006 coup to overthrow then-PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

On Tuesday, the KPI advised the House against endorsing proposals made in its research report for fear of a new round of political violence breaking out. Instead, KPI secretary-general Borwornsak Uwanno suggested that the House reconciliation panel's term be extended until the end of the next parliamentary session to allow a broader debate on its proposals.

PREVENTING 'WINNER'S JUSTICE'

Borwornsak also warned that KPI would take back its report if the House ignored its warning and went ahead with endorsing some of its proposals. "This is to prevent 'winner's justice', which could lead to violence," he said.

The reconciliation panel recently chose some proposals from the KPI report and passed them on to the House. Among the more controversial proposals were granting general amnesty to all those involved in political conflict and expunging cases stemming from investigations led by the post-coup Assets Examination Committee.

Coalition chief whip and Pheu Thai MP Udomdej Ratanasathien yesterday slammed KPI for "interfering with legislature", noting that the institute was under the Parliament's supervision.

"The committee has completed its job and there is no reason to wait. As for suggestions on broader debate, this forum has to be hosted by government agencies that have more resources and personnel than the committee," Udomdej said.

Coalition whip secretary Cholnan Srikaew, also from Pheu Thai, said the reconciliation proposals were now up to the House to decide upon.

Abhisit yesterday asked Sonthi to tell the public why his panel chose only some KPI proposals.

"If they go ahead, General Sonthi and the government will have to be responsible for the damage that will follow. They cannot blame KPI," he said.

Law expert Prof Amorn Chandrasomboon said KPI had failed to mention that in Thai politics, it was the financiers of political parties that pulled the strings.

Meanwhile, a group of multi-coloured shirts led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning to protest against using KPI's proposal to grant amnesty to Thaksin.

The group submitted its petition to Senator Somchai Sawangkarn, chairman of the Senate panel on human rights, freedom and consumer protection. The letter urged the panel to find out if Thaksin was involved in the red-shirt rallies and if people’s rights had been violated.

Later yesterday, a group of red-shirt Thaksin supporters gathered near Tul's group, as some 150 police officers were deployed for security.

-- The Nation 2012-04-05

[jonclark]

Reconciliation " the process of making two opposite beliefs, ideas or situations agree."

Using this as the definition of reconciliation we can clearly see that reconciliation is still (unfortunately) a pipe dream here. With both sides equally to blame for its failure. The term 'winners justice' aptly sums up the politics of both the previous and current administration.

[maidu]

I don't know who screwed up worse: KPI, for issuing a recommended option that they belatedly realized (2 days later) was totally flawed. message to KPI: use your brains. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.

OR

Sonthi, for being the wrong man for the job. He doesn't know a thing about how a committe works. He railroaded the hyper-political option (which enables Thaksin to return) without allowing any discussion with committee members.

He should go back to his barracks with his tail between his legs. He has no business pretending to be a fair-minded person doing bureaucratic things. A shining example why military should keeps its soiled hands out of politics, which is already dirty enough.

In essence, KPI, Sonthi and the PT party are giving the finger to Thai judiciary and the Thai people in general. Welcome back to Thailand, Mr. Thaksin - you still have a lot more self-enrichment and self-aggrandizement to do.

Edited April 5, 2012 by maidu

[anterian]

I get the impression that the people controlling Sonthi have realised that the best policy is that "If you can't beat them, then join them".

[sparebox2]

Wht is KPI involved with freeing Thaksin?

I wonder how much did Thaksin offer?

[CalgaryII]

"Meanwhile, a group of multi-coloured shirts led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning to protest against using KPI's proposal to grant amnesty to Thaksin"

If this PAD group is against it, I'm for it....... Not complicated......... It seems to me, they should be more concerned about R'song 'implications' in the future for their own side, than continuing this self-serving diversionary focus on Thaksin. This perhaps gives some insight to their motives in harassing some specific reconciliation efforts. Mr. Abhisit's calls for delay and deferment to an unspecified future is particularly dubious considering his personal jeopardy. He really ought to be disengaged from these proceedings considering his culpabilities.

Edited April 5, 2012 by CalgaryII

[sparebox2]

"Meanwhile, a group of multi-coloured shirts led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning to protest against using KPI's proposal to grant amnesty to Thaksin"

Question: Isn't it the wrong place to protest? Should the protest be infront of KPI for writing something in favour of the corrupted Thaksin.

[sparebox2]

I get the impression that the people controlling Sonthi have realised that the best policy is that "If you can't beat them, then join them".

Perhaps Thaksin match make for Sonthi's son.

Maybe that's part of the deal.

Thaksin is know to associate with singers. Remember about the Lydia being pragnent rumour? Nothing was proven though.

[jonclark]

"Meanwhile, a group of multi-coloured shirts led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning to protest against using KPI's proposal to grant amnesty to Thaksin"

If this PAD group is against it, I'm for it....... Not complicated......... It seems to me, they should be more concerned about R'song 'implications' in the future for their own side, than continuing this self-serving diversionary focus on Thaksin. This perhaps gives some insight to their motives in harassing some specific reconciliation efforts. Mr. Abhisit's calls for delay and deferment to an unspecified future is particularly dubious considering his personal jeopardy. He really ought to be disengaged from these proceedings considering his culpabilities.

Nonsense - what reconciliation efforts - you are confused about the meaning of the term reconciliation get a dictionary and look it up. Reconciliation involves agreement by both sides. The key word there is agreement - The democrats and PTP need to agree on a mutually acceptable plan.

The hilarious part of this is that neither side has shown or is willing to show any responsibility for problems their actions (Sonthi, Nattuwat, Taksin Abhisit) caused. Neither side has entered into the spirit of reconciliation i.e. give and take. Neither side is concerned about the future of Thailand. Yingluck seems to think that if she says the word reconciliation often enough it will magically happen.

And unfortunately posts such as Calgaryll only reinforce the perception that PTP are looking for outright victory, not reconciliation.

[retarius]

I do hate to talk about this because there's no chance of any reconciliation, so discussion is pointless. PAD and Democrats insist on no amnesty for Thaksin.....red shirts and Pheu Thai insist on amnesty....there can be no compromise. I think that the people have spoken, they elected Yingluck, despite PAD, Abhisit etc telling them that she was a proxy for Thaksin and would bring him back. Well, she won by a landslide, let her bring her brother back.

[Skywalker69]

Thaksin must be desperate to come back to Thailand, wonder why.

[rixalex]

I do hate to talk about this because there's no chance of any reconciliation, so discussion is pointless. PAD and Democrats insist on no amnesty for Thaksin.....red shirts and Pheu Thai insist on amnesty....there can be no compromise. I think that the people have spoken, they elected Yingluck, despite PAD, Abhisit etc telling them that she was a proxy for Thaksin and would bring him back. Well, she won by a landslide, let her bring her brother back.

What do you mean, let her bring her brother back. ?

Thaksin left the country of his own free will, and remains outside of Thailand, of his own free will. If he wants to come back, all he has to do is step on his private jet and he'd be here in a matter of hours. Nobody is stopping him. So what does? His belief that he is above the law and that punishment handed out by the Thai courts should not apply to him. Why? Because he thinks he is innocent? No, he didn't appeal the court verdict and has never disputed the evidence that was used to prosecute him. He thinks, as it appears you do too, that because he is popular, and because his proxy party won the last election, that is sufficient basis for him to be allowed to ignore the law.

Why bother having a justice system at all? Let's just ask the Thai people to raise their hands if they like someone, and if they do, who cares what they do or what they have done? They are popular. Law should not apply to them.

[bigbamboo]

Why doesn't this government just prioritise? They were elected by the people to serve the people and there are plenty more important issues that need the members attention than an ex politician on the run. PTP is in power, their paymaster is living it up in Dubai and points east and the Thai people just want some peace and quite for a change.

[khunken]

"Meanwhile, a group of multi-coloured shirts led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning to protest against using KPI's proposal to grant amnesty to Thaksin"

If this PAD group is against it, I'm for it....... Not complicated......... It seems to me, they should be more concerned about R'song 'implications' in the future for their own side, than continuing this self-serving diversionary focus on Thaksin. This perhaps gives some insight to their motives in harassing some specific reconciliation efforts. Mr. Abhisit's calls for delay and deferment to an unspecified future is particularly dubious considering his personal jeopardy. He really ought to be disengaged from these proceedings considering his culpabilities.

This is not a PAD group. What 'implications' does R'prasong have on the multi-coloured group? In the unlikely case you missed it, the police had to protect them from red-shirt harassment. As for Abhisit's 'engagement', he is only doing what a parliamentary opposition leader should do - bring the government to account.

You show a distinct lack of thought in your comment 'If this PAD group is against it, I'm for it'. So much for your other posts.

[retarius]

I do hate to talk about this because there's no chance of any reconciliation, so discussion is pointless. PAD and Democrats insist on no amnesty for Thaksin.....red shirts and Pheu Thai insist on amnesty....there can be no compromise. I think that the people have spoken, they elected Yingluck, despite PAD, Abhisit etc telling them that she was a proxy for Thaksin and would bring him back. Well, she won by a landslide, let her bring her brother back.

What do you mean, let her bring her brother back. ?

Thaksin left the country of his own free will, and remains outside of Thailand, of his own free will. If he wants to come back, all he has to do is step on his private jet and he'd be here in a matter of hours. Nobody is stopping him. So what does? His belief that he is above the law and that punishment handed out by the Thai courts should not apply to him. Why? Because he thinks he is innocent? No, he didn't appeal the court verdict and has never disputed the evidence that was used to prosecute him. He thinks, as it appears you do too, that because he is popular, and because his proxy party won the last election, that is sufficient basis for him to be allowed to ignore the law.

Why bother having a justice system at all? Let's just ask the Thai people to raise their hands if they like someone, and if they do, who cares what they do or what they have done? They are popular. Law should not apply to them.

You don't seem to have much of a grip on Thai affairs do you? Have you just arrived here?

Thakin was illegally deposed. His deposed rewrote the constitution giving themselves amnesty. There's justice for you.

We are not allowed to speak about court decisions here in Thailand, but suffice it to say, that none of the ammart (monarchist or commercial) spend a single night in the slammer...the ammart are above the law, and pretending that they aren't is idiocy...the slammer's for poor people....so why should Thaksin be treated any different than the any other of the corrupt elite? Let's have him back as a free man and move on...he won elections, got the country moving after the disasters of 1997, and was no more bent than the next politician...they're all bent....being a politician is about making money through graft, kickbacks from construction companies....there's is no ideology in politics here...

[maidu]

KPI got manipulated by PT. A few days later they belatedly realized that their ill-thought out proposal #3 was rubber stamped by Sonthi, who was also a stooge for PT. Then KPI wakes up and says, 'wait a cotton pickin' minute, just because we submitted that proposal, doesn't mean we thought it should be a viable option! We want to rescind that proposal. We want to stuff the toothpaste back in the tube.

I hadn't heard of KPI before, but now that I've seen how they manifest, I see they've lost more face than Humpty Dumpty did when he fell off that wall.

[rixalex]

You don't seem to have much of a grip on Thai affairs do you? Have you just arrived here?

Nope. Well into my second decade. How about you?

Thakin was illegally deposed.

True, although in a better functioning democracy, i daresay he would have been impeached long before the coup - perhaps even right at the beginning of his time in office when he hid assets with gardeners and maids.

His deposed rewrote the constitution giving themselves amnesty. There's justice for you.

When did i argue it was justice?

We are not allowed to speak about court decisions here in Thailand, but suffice it to say, that none of the ammart (monarchist or commercial) spend a single night in the slammer...the ammart are above the law, and pretending that they aren't is idiocy...the slammer's for poor people....so why should Thaksin be treated any different than the any other of the corrupt elite?

Who is pretending the amart aren't above the law? Of course they are. So when for once, one of them actually gets prosecuted, this for me is the time to stand up and celebrate a minor break through. Yes there is much more to be done, and yes, there are many still evading justice, but you have to start somewhere, and starting with an ex PM is as good a place as any. It sets an example. It sends a message. That being, it doesn't matter how big and how powerful you become, your money and power can't always save you.

Your argument of, Thaksin should get away with it because if he doesn't that is unfair, is one that i will never understand. It's a mentality that ensures progress will never be made.

[h90]

"Meanwhile, a group of multi-coloured shirts led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning to protest against using KPI's proposal to grant amnesty to Thaksin"

If this PAD group is against it, I'm for it....... Not complicated......... It seems to me, they should be more concerned about R'song 'implications' in the future for their own side, than continuing this self-serving diversionary focus on Thaksin. This perhaps gives some insight to their motives in harassing some specific reconciliation efforts. Mr. Abhisit's calls for delay and deferment to an unspecified future is particularly dubious considering his personal jeopardy. He really ought to be disengaged from these proceedings considering his culpabilities.

Nonsense - what reconciliation efforts - you are confused about the meaning of the term reconciliation get a dictionary and look it up. Reconciliation involves agreement by both sides. The key word there is agreement - The democrats and PTP need to agree on a mutually acceptable plan.

The hilarious part of this is that neither side has shown or is willing to show any responsibility for problems their actions (Sonthi, Nattuwat, Taksin Abhisit) caused. Neither side has entered into the spirit of reconciliation i.e. give and take. Neither side is concerned about the future of Thailand. Yingluck seems to think that if she says the word reconciliation often enough it will magically happen.

And unfortunately posts such as Calgaryll only reinforce the perception that PTP are looking for outright victory, not reconciliation.

Exactly you can't forceful reconsiliat (spelling???) against the will of the party you want to have peace and friendship again.

[Skywalker69]

I do hate to talk about this because there's no chance of any reconciliation, so discussion is pointless. PAD and Democrats insist on no amnesty for Thaksin.....red shirts and Pheu Thai insist on amnesty....there can be no compromise. I think that the people have spoken, they elected Yingluck, despite PAD, Abhisit etc telling them that she was a proxy for Thaksin and would bring him back. Well, she won by a landslide, let her bring her brother back.

What do you mean, let her bring her brother back. ?

Thaksin left the country of his own free will, and remains outside of Thailand, of his own free will. If he wants to come back, all he has to do is step on his private jet and he'd be here in a matter of hours. Nobody is stopping him. So what does? His belief that he is above the law and that punishment handed out by the Thai courts should not apply to him. Why? Because he thinks he is innocent? No, he didn't appeal the court verdict and has never disputed the evidence that was used to prosecute him. He thinks, as it appears you do too, that because he is popular, and because his proxy party won the last election, that is sufficient basis for him to be allowed to ignore the law.

Why bother having a justice system at all? Let's just ask the Thai people to raise their hands if they like someone, and if they do, who cares what they do or what they have done? They are popular. Law should not apply to them.

You don't seem to have much of a grip on Thai affairs do you? Have you just arrived here?

Thakin was illegally deposed. His deposed rewrote the constitution giving themselves amnesty. There's justice for you.

We are not allowed to speak about court decisions here in Thailand, but suffice it to say, that none of the ammart (monarchist or commercial) spend a single night in the slammer...the ammart are above the law, and pretending that they aren't is idiocy...the slammer's for poor people....so why should Thaksin be treated any different than the any other of the corrupt elite? Let's have him back as a free man and move on...he won elections, got the country moving after the disasters of 1997, and was no more bent than the next politician...they're all bent....being a politician is about making money through graft, kickbacks from construction companies....there's is no ideology in politics here...

Thaksin was (illegal) Caretaker Premier.

[JurgenG]

Reconciliation = acknowledgment that the past 6 years have been totally wasted because some people couldn't accept they've lost the election 6 years ago ... and repeatedly since.

It also means a military coup is not the proper way to solve problems in a democracy.

It also means people are fed up with sore losers (Sondhi, Abhi ...) repeatedly feeding them lies to advance their personal agendas.

No wonder some are not ready to accept reconciliation. What chance do they have to cling back to power if lies and defamation are no longer tolerated ?

[bigbamboo]

I do hate to talk about this because there's no chance of any reconciliation, so discussion is pointless. PAD and Democrats insist on no amnesty for Thaksin.....red shirts and Pheu Thai insist on amnesty....there can be no compromise. I think that the people have spoken, they elected Yingluck, despite PAD, Abhisit etc telling them that she was a proxy for Thaksin and would bring him back. Well, she won by a landslide, let her bring her brother back.

What do you mean, let her bring her brother back. ?

Thaksin left the country of his own free will, and remains outside of Thailand, of his own free will. If he wants to come back, all he has to do is step on his private jet and he'd be here in a matter of hours. Nobody is stopping him. So what does? His belief that he is above the law and that punishment handed out by the Thai courts should not apply to him. Why? Because he thinks he is innocent? No, he didn't appeal the court verdict and has never disputed the evidence that was used to prosecute him. He thinks, as it appears you do too, that because he is popular, and because his proxy party won the last election, that is sufficient basis for him to be allowed to ignore the law.

Why bother having a justice system at all? Let's just ask the Thai people to raise their hands if they like someone, and if they do, who cares what they do or what they have done? They are popular. Law should not apply to them.

You don't seem to have much of a grip on Thai affairs do you? Have you just arrived here?

Thakin was illegally deposed. His deposed rewrote the constitution giving themselves amnesty. There's justice for you.

We are not allowed to speak about court decisions here in Thailand, but suffice it to say, that none of the ammart (monarchist or commercial) spend a single night in the slammer...the ammart are above the law, and pretending that they aren't is idiocy...the slammer's for poor people....so why should Thaksin be treated any different than the any other of the corrupt elite? Let's have him back as a free man and move on...he won elections, got the country moving after the disasters of 1997, and was no more bent than the next politician...they're all bent....being a politician is about making money through graft, kickbacks from construction companies....there's is no ideology in politics here...

Or better still, let's see all the guilty parties on both sides accept justice and move on without them. .