Background of Thai govt-sponsored amnesty bill

[webfact]

Background of amnesty bill

BANGKOK (NNT) – Here is more on the government-sponsored amnesty bill, which aims to pardon demonstrators taking part in the political crisis between September 19, 2006 and May 10, 2011.

Pheu Thai MPs Worachai Hema, Cherdchai Tantisirin, Somkid Chaukong, and Karom Polpornklang, a lawyer for the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship(UDD),have proposed an amnesty draft bill to the Speaker of the Lower House, with 21 Pheu Thai MP's signing in support of the bill.

The Amnesty bill is aimed at granting pardon to demonstrators who took part in the political crisis between September 19, 2006 and May 10, 2011. According to the contents of the bill, the Thai society has gone through a political divide and democracy has been undermined in the past several years.

Demonstrations against the government led to a military coup on September 19, 2006, which has since spun the Thai political situation into an even more complicated turmoil. Unjust laws have been enforced causing feelings of double standards, inequality, and bias among the majority of the people.

The bill also states that accusations against and arrests of many demonstrators have been made. Victims have had limited rights to due process of law. The ongoing political crisis has also deeply affected Thailand in terms of security, political, economic, and cultural stability.

Supporters of the bill are fully aware that what the victims did was simply expressing their political belief, which is protected under the Thai constitution. Those people, many of whom have since the coup been in jail, should, therefore, be exempted from criminal liability, given they were merely exercising their constitutional rights. The bill is also seen as an attempt to reconcile the differences between the two opposing sides so that the nation can live in peace and harmony.

-- NNT 2013-08-08

[ramrod711]

Unjust laws have been enforced causing feelings of double standards, inequality, and bias among the majority of the people

The only unjust law that i can think of is the change to the constitution which exempted the generals who led the coup from prosecution.

Supporters of the bill are fully aware that what the victims did was simply expressing their political belief, which is protected under the Thai constitution. Those people, many of whom have since the coup been in jail, should, therefore, be exempted from criminal liability, given they were merely exercising their constitutional rights.

Well, of course, any reasonable person would concede that manufacturing grenade launchers, attempting to start a fire in one of the airports fuel tanks, attempting to blow up one of the electical towers that feed Bangkok, storming a hospital, burning a fuel tanker on a city street, burning a shopping centre and about 10,000 tires, throwing blood on peoples property and all the other acts of terror are just expressions of their political beliefs, therefore they should be exempted from prosecution. I'm absolutely certain that if Democratic supporters were to do any of these things, the government would take the same stance. Idiots!

[Skywalker69]

All this for one man? Jesus he have costed Thailand a h*ll of a lot of money, still counting.

[MrSlatersParrot]

My understanding about the current amnesty proposal is it refers to individuals, caught up in the protests, who were not directly involved in violence and not the instigators.

WIth an amnesty the courts will have to prove guilt and not guilt through association.

When I read about some thai given 10 years for having a radio part in his pocket:

http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM05UVTVOVGd5TXc9PQ==&catid=03

I see the need for proper justice not the kangaroo courts employed at the time.

[NongKhaiKid]

The head of the reds said yesterday that they should not react to any anti-bill protests as a 3rd hand may be at work and she also said that no reds had been involved in any arson in 2010.

Glad she cleared that up, I was never too sure... LOL

[OzMick]

"many of whom have since the coup been in jail" - does this refer to the successful coup of 2006 or the failed coup of 2010? Has there been anybody jailed since the coup of 2006? The only candidate I can think of skipped bail, and somehow I doubt that corruption in office will be seen as a legitimate form of political expression. OTOH, TIT.

Are the UDD and PTP claiming that there should be no limits to political expression? If murder and arson are acceptable, why not rape, as the ultimate expression of <deleted>?

Edited August 8, 2013 by OzMick

[pookiki]

As I read this, which I am sure is a very limited summary, it would forgive 'red' and 'yellow' shirts alike. And it would appear that amnesty is limited to 'demonstrators'. That certainly would not include Thaksin but would include such individuals such as former FM Kasit who was involved in the closure of Suwannaphum Airport. It would be interesting if a 'neutral' Thai attorney could provide an analysis of this legislation.

Despite any analysis, I am not sure how any law will heal the current divisions in Thai society.

[tingtongteesood]

All this for one man? Jesus he have costed Thailand a h*ll of a lot of money, still counting.

Well the Thai government took his 46 billion baht and wouldn't give it back so Mr. spiteful decided to cause as much trouble as he possibly could. He has probably cost the country at least 10 times that or so over the last few years....

[siampolee]

Well the Thai government took his 46 billion baht and wouldn't give it back so Mr. spiteful decided to cause as much trouble as he possibly could. He has probably cost the country at least 10 times that or so over the last few years..

..

Seems as if the stock market took a few nasty hits today and the baht is losing its value a little bit at a time too, indeed just what the doctor ordered no doubt.

The medication will indeed kill the patient,. however the medical fees will have been paid in full no doubt.

[Pimay1]

The real background of this Thai Government sponsered amnesty bill can be summed up in a few words.The main goal is to get dear leader back free and clear with his money returned. All the other fluff is just that, fluff.

[bigbamboo]

As a world leader in coups d'états since 1932 and almost incessant political corruption I'd say Thailand's 'democracy' has been undermined for a lot longer than the past few years.

Edited August 8, 2013 by bigbamboo

[Bagwan]

I do not accept that the Thai Government snaffled Thaksin's ill gotten dosh. The Courts and due legal process did. Although there have been many dodgy verdicts and decisions in the Thai Courts of Law it is well to bear in mind that they banned well over a hundred 'pollies' from holding political office for 5 years.

[SlideRiceFC]

I'm pretty ignorant of how the court system works here but given that PTP runs the government and the police are in their pocket if there are truly people in jail and have been since 2010 who exactly is keeping them there? Shouldn't the first order of business be to get these people to court? if the evidence is flimsy then they should be acquitted of charges. I don't understand why they continue to hold people while they seek amnesty. People guilty of organizing and inciting all had their bail paid so they could become part of the government. Something doesn't add up to me but then as a westerner I don't have a clue how things are supposed to work. It just seems like they are intentionally keeping the foot soldiers locked up as an excuse to pursue their amnesty bill. Can't they pursue things like amnesty and compensation AFTER they get their day in court?

[OzMick]

I'm pretty ignorant of how the court system works here but given that PTP runs the government and the police are in their pocket if there are truly people in jail and have been since 2010 who exactly is keeping them there? Shouldn't the first order of business be to get these people to court? if the evidence is flimsy then they should be acquitted of charges. I don't understand why they continue to hold people while they seek amnesty. People guilty of organizing and inciting all had their bail paid so they could become part of the government. Something doesn't add up to me but then as a westerner I don't have a clue how things are supposed to work. It just seems like they are intentionally keeping the foot soldiers locked up as an excuse to pursue their amnesty bill. Can't they pursue things like amnesty and compensation AFTER they get their day in court?

The problem is that quite a few of their hired thugs were found guilty of serious crimes including arson, and they were promised indemnity of acts to "further the cause". Many are on government paid bail after being found guilty, pending appeal - why that occurs under Thai law is a mystery, but it apparently applies even to murderers.

Also there are a number of PTP MPs facing serious criminal charges, slowed by their MP status. It would be disconcerting if they were found guilty of terrorism, making a lie of the claim that the Democrat government were murderers of innocent protesters.

AFAIK there is nobody in jail for civil disobedience, and even those convicted of quite serious offenses are free on bail.

[Robby nz]

If I understand correctly there are only between 30 and 70 still in jail for anything to do with any demos so wouldn't it be easy to set up a panel to review each case.

Then if there is anyone in jail, as the parrot claims, for only having a radio part in their pocket or for just being there as some red s like to claim them by all means arrange to let them go.

However those who did the real crimes like burnings, lootings and of course the leaders inciting violence, let them do their time.

But that wouldn't get the real instigators like Jutaporn, Weng and the big boss off would it.

Those who closed the airports and the Dems have said they don't want this amnesty, they have said let the law take its course.

So that leaves only PT and the reds who want it, obviously for their own benefit.

[AleG]

As a world leader in coups d'états since 1932 and almost incessant political corruption I'd say Thailand's 'democracy' has been undermined for a lot longer than the past few years.

Perhaps the previous 24 amnesties had something to do with that undermining; a certain definition of insanity come to my mind.