Rule Of Law Agency Wants Amnesty Bill: Thailand

[webfact]

Rule of law agency wants amnesty bill

Chanikarn Phumhirun,

Khanittha Thepphajorn,

Praphan Chindalertudomdee

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Independent National Rule of Law Commission has called on the government to grant an amnesty to political protesters imprisoned between September 2006 and May 2010.

The amnesty proposal would apply to protesters arrested during the period between the 2006 coup and rallies organised by the red-shirt movement, commission chairman Ukrit Mongkolnavin said yesterday.

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He said the amnesty, if granted, should be a legislative bill so the Parliament could scrutinise the draft provisions.

Under the commission's proposal, legal absolution should be granted unconditionally to all protesters, except rally organisers and state officials in charge of keeping peace at the rallies.

The commission has forwarded its six-provision draft bill on an amnesty so the government can vet it and asked for legislative deliberation on the issue.

Ukrit said politicians and rally organisers should, as a gesture of goodwill, declare their intention to not avail themselves of an amnesty in order to quell any suspicion of them having an ulterior motive.

He called on the government to make the bill a priority, so the legislative process can completed and the bill enacted this session.

Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn said he was happy to draw support from the red-shirt leaders to show that they would not avail themselves of the amnesty. But he still preferred the red-shirts' version, in the form of an executive decree.

Senator Wanchai Sornsiri, however, said he doubted if the government would have sufficient votes in the Senate to fast-track the bill. "In my opinion, all controversial draft laws should undergo the normal procedure in order to allow full scrutiny," he said.

Wanchai said he supported the idea of granting an amnesty, but he feared there may be a hidden agenda to absolve those convicted for lese majeste and graft.

Pheu Thai MP Phiraphan Phalusuk said coalition and opposition lawmakers should hold an informal talk in order to reach a common stand before debating the issue.

-- The Nation 2013-02-06

[whybother]

Why is The Nation repeating the news from 2 weeks ago?

Rule of law commission pushes for amnesty bill

Khanittha Thepphajorn

The Nation

[Robby nz]

Surely an amnesty is in direct contridiction to the rule of law.

like wanting to absolve those who have broken the law.

Would seem that their proposal would include the 'men in black'.

[Locationthailand]

They never give up, you have to admit that. Leave them all in jail. That at least will have them think twice about further involvement at a future date. The law needs to lead by example.

[reiltin]

Rule of law in Thailand -even writing it seems odd,the words don't gel.In this regard im sure you all have anecdotes or personal experience at the hands of police,officials or the general

populous .Rationality, Morality and the consequences of ones actions must be fostered in the home and school.reason seems to be in deficit here.nationalism(xenophobia) buddhism (amulets) and thainess(superiority complex) are all used as crutches for a fundamentally weak response to all debate(or no debate at all) Reform the schools and cast the money changers from the temples,morality is only a guide to conduct, whereas religion is always more than this....

[longtom]

... and give all of them a medal for holding the country at ransom

[Buchholz]

Why is The Nation repeating the news from 2 weeks ago?

Rule of law commission pushes for amnesty bill

http://www.thaivisa....i-amnesty-bill/

It's related to the press conference that Ukrit held yesterday as an update in the hopes that the Cabinet and the Pheu Thai government would take action on the NRLC version of amnesty.

The government didn't.

OP Quote:

NRLC Chairman Ukrit Mongkol-navin yesterday issued a statement saying that the six-Article bill aims to bring peace and unity back to the deeply divided Thai society.

Unquote.

NRLC Chairman Ukrit Mongkol-navin (left) with unidentified admirer.

Today, Deputy PM Ponthep said that National Rule of Law Commission Chairman Ukrit Mongkol-navin's amnesty proposal was not considered during today's Cabinet meeting.

Earlier at a press conference, Ukrit had said that he had sent a letter to Yingluck asking the Cabinet to consider his group's amnesty recommendations quickly so that the bill could be forwarded ASAP to the Parliament for debate.

.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn said he was happy to draw support from the red-shirt leaders to show that they would not avail themselves of the amnesty.

No real urgent need to seek amnesty when twelve Red Shirt Leaders all have Parliamentary immunity.

.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Buchholz

[MunterHunter]

I say no Amnesty for anyone, Red, Yellow, Black, Blue, Brown or Pink.

If you violated the law, you get punished accordingly. That way its fair to everyone. Except possibly the Judges who will have a shed load of work to do! lol

[Mitker]

Do they realize this is a perfect oxymoron?

[slipperx]

Thais and the rule of law? I don't think the concept is either welcomed or understood in any way, shape or form!

[rubl]

Did anyone here already find the current text of the (possibly six article) amnesty bill the RoL Agency wants?

[rubl]

The Independent National Rule of Law Commission has called on the government ...

Oops, another topic has

"In related news, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday dismissed a proposal from Ukrit Mongkolnavin, chairman of the government-appointed Independent National Rule of Law Commission (NRLC), that amnesty be granted through an act of Parliament."

http://www.thaivisa....-amnesty-bills/

[Buchholz]

The Independent National Rule of Law Commission has called on the government ...

Oops, another topic has

"In related news, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday dismissed a proposal from Ukrit Mongkolnavin, chairman of the government-appointed Independent National Rule of Law Commission (NRLC), that amnesty be granted through an act of Parliament."

http://www.thaivisa....-amnesty-bills/

She's blowing off her her own commission.

The "independent" commission was appointed by Yingluck's Office of the Prime Minister and endorsed by Yingluck's Cabinet in September 2011 after she became premier.

.

[OzMick]

Is there anybody still in prison for refusing to disperse or other minor criminal matters committed in 2010? Even those convicted of arson have been released on government paid bail pending bail. So the proposed amnesty is to release (and probably pay compensation to) those who committed serious offences - on orders of those currently in power.