Suspending Thai amnesty bill will show if PM's sincere about reform

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Suspending amnesty bill will show if PM's sincere about reform
SOMROUTAI SAPSOMBOON



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra has made a laudable proposal she says is aimed at finding a "sustainable solution for Thailand". The idea is to gather viewpoints from political players on all sides to design a democracy suitable for Thai society. This proposed forum has been referred to as a political-reform council.

The prime minister has assigned Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana and PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn to invite key senior politicians to take part in this forum. Those who have agreed to join include former prime minister Banharn Silapa-archa, who was credited with backing political reform that resulted in the "people's constitution" of 1997, former Senate Speaker Ukrit Mongkolnavin, former House Speaker Uthai Pimchaichon, 2006 coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, and former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

These political elders are all seen as siding with the government. They are all members of the ruling coalition, current or past members of the ruling party, or linked in some other way to the government. Rivals of the government, namely the opposition Democrat Party and the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), have made it clear that they will not take part in the forum if the government does not withdraw the amnesty bill proposed by a group of Pheu Thai MPs.

The House debate on the amnesty bill began on Wednesday, so it is now difficult for the proposed law to be withdrawn. A feasible option is to have the bill suspended from deliberation, in the same way as the so-called reconciliation bills were suspended after strong opposition last year. The government has not withdrawn those bills, but they have been shelved.

If the government decided to suspend the amnesty bill, the ball would be in the opposition's court. It is likely that the Democrats and the PAD would then review their stance on joining the PM's proposed forum.

Such a move by the government would point to the prime minister's sincerity and determination in achieving national reconciliation. It would be evidence that the government is not just attempting to "buy time", as alleged by critics. However, if the government opts to continue with pushing for an amnesty bill, it will miss a good opportunity. More important, the political-reform forum proposed by the PM would be unlikely to materialise.

A forum without the opposition and the PAD would be much different from the one envisaged by the prime minister.

Phumtham Wechayachai, secretary-general of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said the prime minister would "host" the forum, allowing the parties involved in the political conflict and people who are neutral, as well as other political actors, to discuss a way out for the country.

Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, vice rector of Thammasat University, described the PM's proposal as a "good beginning" to end the conflict. He called on both sides of the conflict to stop setting conditions and start finding a common stance. "Both sides should try to find answers to the questions together. And they should not try to force the others to accept their answers to the questions. Otherwise, they will not be able to find a solution," he said.

The prime minister can also demonstrate the sincerity of her political-reform proposal by personally taking part in it. Phumtham has said that Yingluck would not participate in the talks among the political actors, but would "only host it and open the forum". If this is the case, people will question her sincerity.

Whether the proposed political-reform council and reconciliation talks materialise, or turn out to be just another political game aimed at buying time for the government, is up to the prime minister.


-- The Nation 2013-08-09

[Tatsujin]

Phumtham has said that Yingluck would not participate in the talks among the political actors, but would "only host it and open the forum".

She can't take part in anything directly cos the wi-fi is not good and her Skype calls to Big Brother keep getting cut off and she doesn't know what to say without being told beforehand. Besides, these things are sooooo boring and cut too much into her shopping/photo op time.

[Siripon]

How long did she stay for the debate on Thursday? A few minutes- and this is someone who said problems should be solved in Parliament!

Madam,if you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, please take off your apron and leave.

Thailand needs a Chef de Cuisine, someone capable of managing the cooks and dishes, not a pretty waitress who presents a menu and then cannot answer any queries regarding the fare.

[NongKhaiKid]

All this " togetherness " and bonhomie is crap and will never happen unless all the opposition parties take a giant step back and agree to everything the PTP wants. They won the election and can do what they want and we know what they want to the exclusion of everything else.

[LuckyLew]

iMO 100% useless

Failing to attend yesterday showed what she is made off

There is no chance she removes the bill as he brother has probably told her now to

[bigbamboo]

Desperation is taking hold now.

BTW..... is that train behind her sinking too?

[ramrod711]

Phumtham Wechayachai, secretary-general of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said the prime minister would "host" the forum, allowing the parties involved in the political conflict and people who are neutral, as well as other political actors, to discuss a way out for the country.

Cut out the middle man, just hold the forum in Dubai.

[HuaHinHarold]

Whether the proposed political-reform council and reconciliation talks materialise, or turn out to be just another political game aimed at buying time for the government, is up to the prime minister.

So based on that criteria, it's just another political game.

[Pimay1]

The prime minister can also demonstrate the sincerity

Using the words prime minister (Yingluck) and sincerity in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

[LuckyLew]

The prime minister can also demonstrate the sincerity

Using the words prime minister (Yingluck) and sincerity in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

and if you believe a word she says you are a moron

[OzMick]

The prime minister can also demonstrate the sincerity

Using the words prime minister (Yingluck) and sincerity in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

"Sincerity: if you can fake it, you've got it made." (George Burns?)

She's not there yet.

[Baerboxer]

Is this all just another white lie to keep everyone happy and feeling warm?

How can the PM not bother to show up for parliament for the first reading of the most contentious bill, and now also will only host proposed discussions on the future of democracy in Thailand? Something she has supposedly thought up herself?

She says she will attend parliament for the amnesty bill "as it is my duty", then swans off on a train ride.

She suggests major discussions on political reforms and then says she will "host the talks and open them" but won't take part.

And, she is also the Defence Minister as well as the Prime Minister?

Mind boggling.

[mrtoad]

But the real PM is in Dubai, so why are they discussing Yingluck?

[Neilly]

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra has made a laudable proposal she says is aimed at finding a "sustainable solution for Thailand".

We need a solution to millions of tons of overpriced mouldy rice please...anyone???

[daboyz1]

But the real PM is in Dubai, so why are they discussing Yingluck?

Yeah I don't understand why they keep referring to her as the PM. It's not a secret who the real PM is. Even one of their slogans spells it out. "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does." Doesn't get any clearer than that when it comes to who is running things.

Headline should read:

Suspending Thai amnesty bill will show if PM's Thaksin's sincere about reform