Thai Democrats: Amnesty bill a financial law

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POLITICS
Democrats: Amnesty bill a financial law
Jintana Panyaarvudh
THE NATION



House begins process for first reading; police successfully block protesters heading to Parliament

BANGKOK: -- The controversial amnesty bill cruised through the initial parliamentary process last night when the House voted 301-160 against a proposal by opposition and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to postpone deliberations on the bill. Last night's vote kick-started a process for the first reading that is certain to be hotly debated and see an increase in political tensions.

The vote followed a long intermission and closing statements from the two sides, made by Abhisit himself and Pheu Thai MP Sunai Chulpongsatorn. The Pheu Thai-led government, which pushed for the bill, and the opposition had spent almost five hours debating other issues and engaging in related protests, which were seen as a tactic by the opposition to waste time.

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

The Democrats yesterday tried to shoot down the amnesty bill proposed by Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema during the House meeting, claiming the bill was a financial law that needed the prime minister's prior endorsement.

Democrat leaders started the anti-amnesty bill campaign in the morning with a march by thousands of supporters to Parliament. But the supporters had to go home after police refused to allow them inside the zone around Parliament covered by the Internal Security Act.

In Parliament, there were protests from the Democrats before and after Worachai successfully proposed and read his bill to the House.

Democrat Party and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and his MPs told the floor that Worachai's bill is a financial law that needs the prime minister's endorsement prior to deliberation.

"The content is about demanding compensation and allocating a budget to pay for rebuilding the burned buildings [during the protest]. Any bill that imposes a financial obligation on the government needs the PM's endorsement," he said.

Article 143 of the current Constitution states that in case of doubt as to whether a bill is a financial bill which requires the endorsement of the prime mMinister or not, it shall be the power of a joint sitting of the House Speaker and President of the all standing committees to make a decision thereon.

So, if there is doubt whether any bill is a financial law, the House Speaker needs to call a meeting of 35 chairmen of House committees to decide, Abhisit pointed out.

Abhisit also asked House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont to explain why he made different decisions on the amnesty bill and a reconciliation bill proposed by Sonthi Boonyaratglin. Somsak had once decided that the Sonthi bill was a financial law and had called a meeting of 35 committee chairmen to decide. "If the process is not legal it could lead to legal trouble. And we will ask for a judicial review for sure," Abhisit said.

Somsak said some MPs, including himself, had doubts about the Sonthi bill hence he had called the meeting.

"But I and the bill's sponsor have no doubt about Worachai's amnesty bill," he said.

The Democrats and the ruling Pheu Thai MPs also locked horns over technical issues. While the Democrats claimed that anyone can raise an issue over whether a law is a financial law, Pheu Thai argued that it was a right reserved for only the House speaker or a bill's sponsor. MPs from the Pheu Thai camp also insisted that the bill is not a financial law.

Democrat MP Atavit Suwannapakdee said last October a court had ordered convicted arsonists who torched the Udon Thani City Hall to pay for the damage. If the amnesty bill was passed, who would take responsibility for the compensation, he asked.

After three hours of debate, Abhisit proposed that the amnesty bill be postponed to discuss more important issues, including the oil spill, and the meeting agreed to vote for it. A 10-minute intermission was ordered before the vote, two-thirds for the postponement, to be agreed on, as of press time.

Earlier, Somsak had to order a break during Worachai's reading of the bill to the House. Before Worachai read the bill, a Democrat MP from Yala, Prasert Pongsuwansiri, suggested that the House postpone the State Audit Bill, which was passed by a vetting committee and placed on the agenda for its second reading, ahead of the amnesty bill. But Worachai continued to read his proposal. After that some Democrat MPs shouted in protest so Somsak ordered the break.

Before the House deliberated the amnesty bills, the House took around one hour to protest against Somsak. MPs from the Democrat Party raised their concerns about the obstruction at the entrance to Parliament as some of their assistants were barred from entering the venue.


-- The Nation 2013-08-08

[GentlemanJim]

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

Simply un-believable.

Edited August 8, 2013 by metisdead

[Thai at Heart]

They are showing the debates on the news now.

MPs grinning at pointing fingers at each other like kids.

[metisdead]

A post using overly large font has been removed. If you don't want your post to be deleted, use the default forum size font when posting, just like everybody else does.

P.S.: Don't copy and paste content from Bangkok Post into your post either.

[Tatsujin]

And they move further and further down that slippery slope away from Democracy and accountability. We all know what comes next, it's just a case of when.

[Hyponeros]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

[h90]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

I only heard part of it, but the fought it with many arguments as well. But that of course didn't impress the PTP.

[zydeco]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

They keep bringing pocket knives to gunfights. It's over and done. One side is serious about acquiring and keeping power. The other one hasn't got the faintest idea.

[Baerboxer]

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

Simply un-believable.

Did she not promise a few days ago that she would be there - "as it is her duty"?

Something more important must have come up.

[Baerboxer]

And they move further and further down that slippery slope away from Democracy and accountability. We all know what comes next, it's just a case of when.

Sadly you seem to be correct. If this bill is pushed through and PTP's owner returns as planned and takes power ................ it really is a frightening scenario,

This time around it looks like all the "homework" has been done and bases covered - no real opposition.

[Baerboxer]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

They keep bringing pocket knives to gunfights. It's over and done. One side is serious about acquiring and keeping power. The other one hasn't got the faintest idea.

Yep - wonder how they'll react when they get dissolved with all the other opposition parties. Maybe the penny will finally drop.

[bigbamboo]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

I only heard part of it, but the fought it with many arguments as well. But that of course didn't impress the PTP.

The tricks did though!

[tominbkk]

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

Simply un-believable.

Did she not promise a few days ago that she would be there - "as it is her duty"?

Something more important must have come up.

Gucci sale at Gaysorn!

[Neilly]

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

Simply un-believable.

Did she not promise a few days ago that she would be there - "as it is her duty"?

Something more important must have come up.

A problem with her Skype account possibly?

[Tatsujin]

And they move further and further down that slippery slope away from Democracy and accountability. We all know what comes next, it's just a case of when.

Sadly you seem to be correct. If this bill is pushed through and PTP's owner returns as planned and takes power ................ it really is a frightening scenario,

This time around it looks like all the "homework" has been done and bases covered - no real opposition.

There's a little more going on behind the scenes than it at first appears if people look hard enough and connect the dots . . . most of which can't be discussed here unfortunately.

[Tatsujin]

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

Simply un-believable.

Did she not promise a few days ago that she would be there - "as it is her duty"?

Something more important must have come up.

A problem with her Skype account possibly?

She/They have made lots of promises . . . not many of which have come to fruition. Besides, why sit in on a boring cabinet session (which she/they already know the result of) when there's shopping to be done!

[annabel]

After the vote, Democrat MP and opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanawisit made a final attempt to halt the process by making a plea to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - who was absent throughout yesterday's session - to withdraw the bill, citing political tensions.

Simply un-believable.

Did she not promise a few days ago that she would be there - "as it is her duty"?

Something more important must have come up.

A problem with her Skype account possibly?

Nope ... just another Face Book issue ... someone exposed her shopping Spree(s) and she is busy trying to sue them and get all FB posts about her stopped and get all those who have posted arrested and put in jail since the police are now bored by the lack of excitement with the protesters .. ...have to keep them busy or else they just go off and gamble and get fired and then there will be a shortage of cops to restrain the protesters when they do get rowdy...

[moe666]

And they move further and further down that slippery slope away from Democracy and accountability. We all know what comes next, it's just a case of when.

Sadly you seem to be correct. If this bill is pushed through and PTP's owner returns as planned and takes power ................ it really is a frightening scenario,

This time around it looks like all the "homework" has been done and bases covered - no real opposition.

Do your research it takes more than a vote in the house to make a bill law.

[hellodolly]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

They did try arguments based on logic. But they were talking to people with the lights on and nobody home. The Democrats are interested in creating a united country not in how much disunity they can create. Any bill that allows amnesty for Thaksin is doomed to create a deeper division in Thailand no matter if it passes or not.

What is needed is a sensible bill such as the one given to the government by relatives of slain victims. It on no way allows Thaksin to be white washed. It even allows for charging him with treason.

I ask you what is wrong with that bill?

I suppose unification of Thailand is not important to certain people. What surprises me is because we are just guests here and what we say or are opinions will not change any thing a person would want to see the disunity continued. Why not choose to live in a country that has unity.

Edited August 8, 2013 by hellodolly

[hellodolly]

DP keeps proving it's incompetency! Instead of fighting the bill with argument they are trying to fight it with tricks!

How more ridiculous do they plan to become?

They keep bringing pocket knives to gunfights. It's over and done. One side is serious about acquiring and keeping power. The other one hasn't got the faintest idea.

Beg to differ the Democrats are very much aware that the PTP red shirts are serious about acquiring and keeping power.

They on the other hand are serious about building a better Thailand.

[hellodolly]

And they move further and further down that slippery slope away from Democracy and accountability. We all know what comes next, it's just a case of when.

Sadly you seem to be correct. If this bill is pushed through and PTP's owner returns as planned and takes power ................ it really is a frightening scenario,

This time around it looks like all the "homework" has been done and bases covered - no real opposition.

There's a little more going on behind the scenes than it at first appears if people look hard enough and connect the dots . . . most of which can't be discussed here unfortunately.

What is going on behind the scenes that can not be discussed here.

It does look suspicous that all the smaller partiies are falling in to line with the PTP red shirt Government. Are you suggesting there is arm twisting going on behind the scenes money passing hands. I am quite sure that is allowed here. Unless you are using quotes from reliable sources that won't allow their words to be posted on the same scene as The Nation.

[Tatsujin]

And they move further and further down that slippery slope away from Democracy and accountability. We all know what comes next, it's just a case of when.

Sadly you seem to be correct. If this bill is pushed through and PTP's owner returns as planned and takes power ................ it really is a frightening scenario,

This time around it looks like all the "homework" has been done and bases covered - no real opposition.

There's a little more going on behind the scenes than it at first appears if people look hard enough and connect the dots . . . most of which can't be discussed here unfortunately.

What is going on behind the scenes that can not be discussed here.

It does look suspicous that all the smaller partiies are falling in to line with the PTP red shirt Government. Are you suggesting there is arm twisting going on behind the scenes money passing hands. I am quite sure that is allowed here. Unless you are using quotes from reliable sources that won't allow their words to be posted on the same scene as The Nation.

No, I'm talking about taking information from many different sources that at first might appear unconnected and connecting the dots between them.

Some of the things I am referring to are also things that are not allowed to be discussed here, it has nothing to do with the newspapers per se.