British actress Emma Thompson among invitees to reform talks in Thailand

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NATIONAL RECONCILATION
UK actress Emma Thompson among invitees to reform talks
The Nation


Emma Thompson

Democrats accuse pm of involvement in red-shirt rallies

BANGKOK: -- ELEVEN HIGH-PROFILE international statesmen and experts, including British actress Emma Thompson, have been invited to attend special talks to enhance reconciliation in Thailand, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said yesterday.

The leaders agreeing to take part in the forum entitled "Uniting for the Future Learning from Each Other’s Experience", which resulted from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's initiative, are former British prime minister Tony Blair, former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, and Priscilla Hayner, an expert in truth and reconciliation commissions.

Those who can't make it include Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono; former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton; ex-United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize; Jose Ramos-Horta, the former president and prime minister of East Timor and the current special representative to the secretary-general of the United Nations in Guinea-Bissau; and UN Peace Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

Former Irish president Mary Robinson and British actress Emma Thompson, who supports human rights, were invited but Surapong did not mention if they would be attending.

Two or three rounds of talks will be held, so those who can't join the first one could come to the second or third, he said. The first round will be on September 2.

The Democrat Party yesterday accused Yingluck of participating in the red-shirt protest in 2010 that led to the violent and confrontational street protests undeniably led by Thaksin's supporters.

"Yingluck, herself, also participated in the protests. The protests were ruled by the Thai courts to be unlawful because they infringed on the rights of the general public, especially with documented evidence of the usage of weapons such as M67s, M79s and rocket grenade launchers," the opposition party said in an open letter.

The protest against the amnesty bill being deliberated by Parliament will be distributed to foreign diplomats in Thailand, democratic associations and political parties in Asia and international organisations such as the United Nations and the UN Human Rights Commission.

The letter said the fact that the move of the government and the ruling party to push for quick passage of the much-criticised amnesty bill was facing opposition from various groups was because the government has not heeded the advice of the independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Thailand, National Human Rights Commission, the King Prajadhipok Institute or even the families of the red shirts who died during the street protests of 2010.

"All parties fear that the precedent of whitewashing of all crimes, including arson attacks, looting, killings of innocent bystanders and law enforcement personnel, will undermine the rule of law in our country and allow the perpetrators of human rights abuses to go free without trial, instead of making them accountable for their crimes," the letter said.

"But if the prime minister really valued the input of the international community, she has had ample opportunity. So far she has failed to address the concerns Human Rights Watch and the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights have raised regarding the current amnesty being pushed through Parliament by the Shinawatra-ruled Pheu Thai Party," the letter said.

The Democrat Party believes that reconciliation should not simply be the forcing through of parliamentary bills by majority vote without transparency and due consideration of minority rights as well as the long-term national interest, the letter added.


-- The Nation 2013-08-19

[Ricardo]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

[MaxLee]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Smiley smiley, put on a pretty face when they're here, and back to business when they're gone,

[Somtamnication]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

[chooka]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

It may be a photo opportunity and a chance for some Thais to rub shoulders with some international celebraties, get an autograph and put the pic on your wall.

[theblether]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

Maybe we can get her to give some acting tips to Thai soaps, if she can sort that lot out she'll deserve a Nobel prize.

[Pimay1]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

Maybe we can get her to give some acting tips to Thai soaps, if she can sort that lot out she'll deserve a Nobel prize.

Maybe she can advise the soaps to reduce the number of ear splitting screams to one every two minutes.

[GentlemanJim]

I just see that if previous 'talks' are anything to go by, the seats will be empty and if they are full it will be with local Uni students ordered to fill them up. I hope these speakers know what they are letting themselves in for. It would seem PTP don't really know what they are doing also as they are setting themselves up for a fall on the international stage. I am just wondering when Tony Blair is going to pull out, perhaps he will develop a bad throat or something.

[Ricardo]

A cynic might view this as a crude attempt to link the good (or whatever) reputations of the celebrity-attendees to PTP's efforts for their leader's amnesty, but the FM & PM/DM would obviously never stoop to such a level, so I suspect the idea originated elsewhere ?

[chainarong]

One must ask Emma what the reform talks are all about , bet Emma and friends don't know the full story, In this case why are outsiders invited to a purely Thai problem, this would have to be the first time outsiders have been invited and not knowing the full history ,their input will be only propaganda fodder for the PTP.

[Thai at Heart]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

She's not here to understand Thailand, she's here coz she understands human rights.

[Bluespunk]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

[PatOngo]

Just cut to the chase and invite Rambo and Chuck Norris,after all,they won the American war in Vietnam,surely they can sort the problems in LOS.

[Mosha]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

File her under - Hasn't got a clue

[1weatherman]

I didn't see Barney the purple dinosaurs name on the list. He's all full of love and reconciliation. Fit right in. Maybe sing a song or two. Happy Thailand.

[Ricardo]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

I do believe so, and Nelson is reported to be close-to-death, but why should these inconvenient facts stand in the way of using their names & reputations, to enhance this Thai-government-sponsored reform-chat and help bring Thaksin home whitewashed & cleaner-than-clean ?

[theblether]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

She's not here to understand Thailand, she's here coz she understands human rights.

That's good then, when she's here she can demand that there is a full trial put in place for all those that were involved in the 2004 drug massacres. That will include Taksin of course.

She can ask Thailand to explain why the Rohingya refugees were towed out to sea and left to drift

She can demand to be told why the 34 children of Ahmadi refugees were held behind bars at the IDC for 6 months

She can demand an explanation as to why Thailand refused citizenship to thousands of Hill Tribe people that have lived in Thailand for decades and longer.....

She going to have a long list of things to ask about eh?,

[harrry]

Maybe she can use her Hogwarts magic. ooops wrong Emma.

Edited August 19, 2013 by harrry

[Bluespunk]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

I do believe so, and Nelson is reported to be close-to-death, but why should these inconvenient facts stand in the way of using their names & reputations, to enhance this Thai-government-sponsored reform-chat and help bring Thaksin home whitewashed & cleaner-than-clean ?

Actually thinking on, a dead invitee would be just the sort of critic PT would love to have contribute to this worthless PR stunt.

[worgeordie]

So more had the sense not to be puppets of the Government and attend,

money and freebies will be the incentive of the ones that come, most likely

instructed by the Govt. to bring paint brushes to whitewash the proceedings,

and recommend that the only way to peace is to bring her brother home,

return all his money !

Regards Worgeordie

[harryfrompattaya]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

Yes he dead so what is the problem will his ideas be any the worst?

[WhizBang]

UK actress Emma Thompson among invitees to reform talks

Wow, this whole thing gets sillier by the minute.

[Bluespunk]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

Yes he dead so what is the problem will his ideas be any the worst?

As far as PT are concerned they will be perfect.

[BwindiBoy]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

File her under - Hasn't got a clue

No. She'll have some good input.

[Pikeybkk]

This is all just another TAT Ploy to attract attention to Thailand

[BwindiBoy]

Maybe she can use her Hogwarts magic. ooops wrong Emma.

No, she was in HP and the Order of the Phoenix.

[chooka]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

She's not here to understand Thailand, she's here coz she understands human rights.

That's good then, when she's here she can demand that there is a full trial put in place for all those that were involved in the 2004 drug massacres. That will include Taksin of course.

She can ask Thailand to explain why the Rohingya refugees were towed out to sea and left to drift

She can demand to be told why the 34 children of Ahmadi refugees were held behind bars at the IDC for 6 months

She can demand an explanation as to why Thailand refused citizenship to thousands of Hill Tribe people that have lived in Thailand for decades and longer.....

She going to have a long list of things to ask about eh?,

No. The government will be selective as to who it invites, those who may criticise will not be welcome. Pro government people only allowed.

[BrianCR]

I hear from a good source (the cleaners sister-in-law) that to top it all, Mr. Bean will be invited to chair the reform talks!!

[Thait Spot]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

Maybe he was reincarnated as a buffalo

[LomSak27]

They don't have enough money to get Bill Gates to come. Hugo is dead and Nelson is scuffing dirt.

Whats Madonna doing these days?