Thai Amnesty games: a few days can make a big difference

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Amnesty games: a few days can make a big difference
Kornchanok Raksaseri

BANGKOK: -- In early August, The Nation interviewed key members of the Pheu Thai and coalition parties involved in pushing the Amnesty Bill when its first reading was put on the House agenda as an urgent issue.

Pheu Thai's legal experts were split on whether the bill would face problems over a possibly discriminatory provision that might be considered in violation of Article 30 of the Constitution.

The version, originally proposed by MP and red-shirt leader Worachai Hema, would grant amnesty only to ordinary protesters, and not to fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, protest leaders or the authorities involved in the 2010 crackdown on protesters.

Some legislators said they believed the law would be constitutional. Others said the bill might be amended later.

However, a prominent source from Chart Thai Pattana Party - who asked not to be named - said de facto leader Banharn Silapa-archa insisted that the bill must not be amended by the House vetting panel "because it is an agreement among the coalition parties." Moreover, for the survival of the government, Pheu Thai must take care of the red shirts, its main supporters, the source said.

On October 18, Pheu Thai member Prayuth Siripanich proposed an expansion of the bill's amnesty coverage to include those accused of wrongdoing by the now-defunct Assets Examination Committee.

The committee was set up after the 2006 coup to investigate alleged irregularities by the Thaksin administration.

A majority of the Pheu Thai-dominated committee voted to support the revised version, which may benefit fugitive ex-PM Thaksin, de facto party leader.

Last Tuesday, The Nation's Opas Boonlom asked Prayuth to clarify his proposal.

Prayuth responded: "The amnesty will not be applied to Thaksin because his legal predicament stemmed from an alleged abuse of power, with no links to political rallies."

Prayuth said his proposal was not aimed at helping Thaksin in particular, and that he had made it on his own without any order from Thaksin, the Prime Minister or Pheu Thai Party.

On the same day, Thaksin told Post Today he supported the new version of the bill as he wanted peace to return to the country.

"I have no problem. I can stay outside [the country] for another 10 years and it is still fine. I am fine. I am used to it. In the past, the first two years [of exile], I might have suffered, but not anymore. I have been [in exile for so long] that I am fine with it," he said.

Banharn agreed to a full amnesty, but not with returning Thaksin's assets.

On Sunday, however, Prayuth admitted to Somroutai Sapsomboon from The Nation he proposed revising the bill to seek a blanket amnesty as Thaksin had told him he wants to come home.

Prayuth said he met Thaksin in Hong Kong several months ago, before he proposed the change to Worachai's draft.

"Once I met him, he said 'Brother, I want to go home now'. He said just that, and I knew immediately that he would like to return to Thailand through a proper channel. And a channel that can help him return is amnesty. So, it has been on my mind all the time that I must help him come home."

Prayuth claimed several of Pheu Thai's key leaders supported him on the revised version of the bill.

"I can't do it on my own. It's a party matter," he said.

Many red-shirt factions have come out and voiced opposition to the blanket amnesty, saying they could not accept that the authorities who ordered the bloody crackdown would get away with it. Instead, they asked the government to assist those detained on charges relating to the violence to get bail.

The vetting committee finished deliberating the bill and will submit the draft to the House soon. What comes next remains to be seen.


-- The Nation 2013-10-29

[Tatsujin]

LMAO - they can't even make their reasons lies for bringing him home sound convincing or believable.

[siampolee]

Once I met him, he said 'Brother, I want to go home now'. He said just that, and I knew immediately that he would like to return to Thailand through a proper channel. And a channel that can help him return is amnesty. So, it has been on my mind all the time that I must help him come home."

That return channel has always been open to Thaksin

.All he had to do was to face up to the facts that he was caught and sentenced, upon his return he would have been processed through the due process of law.

By those actions alone he would have gathered an amazing amount of support and it would have been a moot point as to whether he (Thaksin) would have actually seen the inside of a prison cell for more than an hour or so.

But no. Thaksin played the martyr card which has proved not to have been such a wise move which has caused much disruption to society. Even now those wounds he has inflicted on Thailand are a festering pus of social and possible civil disorder that sadly has the capability too and yet may well erupt into a very unpleasant infection outbreak to the detriment of Thailand and its peoples.

Thailand is not big enough for both Thaksin and his ego let alone his many faceted mindsets.

Thaksin wants to come home?

Well perhaps the home may not be putting out the welcome mat for him the prodigals return is not as popular as he would like to think.

He chose the route he took in his own interests not the country's, now the consequences of his actions are far reaching and somewhat threatening to Thai society, it's going to take more than a band-aid and a cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich or two to restore his reputation and popularity .

Crocodile tears are hardly a worthy recommendation for a return of Thaksin to sweetness and light in a family are they when in reality the interests are totally selfish?

[AleG]

Prayuth responded: "The amnesty will not be applied to Thaksin because his legal predicament stemmed from an alleged abuse of power, with no links to political rallies."

Well, I guess we can try and trust this man on his word...

Prayuth said his proposal was not aimed at helping Thaksin in particular, and that he had made it on his own without any order from Thaksin, the Prime Minister or Pheu Thai Party

...

Prayuth said he met Thaksin in Hong Kong several months ago, before he proposed the change to Worachai's draft.

"Once I met him, he said 'Brother, I want to go home now'. He said just that, and I knew immediately that he would like to return to Thailand through a proper channel. And a channel that can help him return is amnesty. So, it has been on my mind all the time that I must help him come home."

Oh, never mind then.

[worgeordie]

Thaksin could have done his time,a few weeks in a VIP prison,

but he knew once he had been inside he could never be PM

again, which is what he wants more than anything,just so he

can have his money returned plus interest,be whitewashed,

and reek havoc and take revenge on those he sees as been

his enemies .just like that other megalomaniac Burlusconi

regards Worgeordie

[IMA_FARANG]

There are politicians in many countries, Thailand included, whose ego is so inflated they simply can not even say the words, "I may have been wrong then".

Thaksin is one of them.

[gemini81]

Interesting headline, though in reality, it appears 18 coups have made little difference in the graft within politics and avoiding consequences here.

Edited October 29, 2013 by gemini81

[h90]

Thaksin could have done his time,a few weeks in a VIP prison,

but he knew once he had been inside he could never be PM

again, which is what he wants more than anything,just so he

can have his money returned plus interest,be whitewashed,

and reek havoc and take revenge on those he sees as been

his enemies .just like that other megalomaniac Burlusconi

regards Worgeordie

Come on......he could land in Chang Mai. No one will arest him. He'll be welcome by the police boss and travels with 100 policemen (these with the automatic weapons) to Bangkok (just in case one lone honest policeman gets some ideas).

Than he registers at the election comisson, which is also hin his pocket. The jail term is either a honest mistake, or from the coup maker and therefor not valid (or whatater bs explanation).

While a 50.000 red shirts intimitate the last few honest judges. Or the police just arrest the judges for treason. Or a few get beaten to dead by "spontanous" anger of the regular people.

The only risk would be some elements in the army.

[AleG]

There are politicians in many countries, Thailand included, whose ego is so inflated they simply can not even say the words, "I may have been wrong then".

Thaksin is one of them.

No, Thaksin is quite capable of saying that if it´s what, at that precise moment, serves his agenda. Of course next day he´ll say the opposite without batting an eyelid, again to further his goals.

[Nickymaster]

On the same day, Thaksin told Post Today he supported the new version of the bill as he wanted peace to return to the country.

"I have no problem. I can stay outside [the country] for another 10 years and it is still fine. I am fine. I am used to it. In the past, the first two years [of exile], I might have suffered, but not anymore. I have been [in exile for so long] that I am fine with it," he said.

And then:

Prayuth said he met Thaksin in Hong Kong several months ago, before he proposed the change to Worachai's draft.

"Once I met him, he said 'Brother, I want to go home now'. He said just that, and I knew immediately that he would like to return to Thailand through a proper channel. And a channel that can help him return is amnesty. So, it has been on my mind all the time that I must help him come home."

Shows again that Thaksin is a shameless liar.

[virtualtraveller]

You can't trust Thaksin or PT further than you can throw them, this has been proven time and again. An amnesty that lets Abhisit off the hook but doesn't clear Thaksin of the non political-violence charges would be out of the question wouldn't it, a complete failure.

Likely scenario is to get the amnesty through, not come home for a while, wait for a 're-interpretation' of the amnesty bill.

Sadly, Thaksin just doesn't realise that coming home without some compromises from him, some guarantees, some token remorse, is going to 'git him kilt'.

[FarangTalk]

Politicians simply have no moral high ground here, and they all believe the laws do not apply to them or their families.

Don't hate the playa, hate the game.

To a man and woman, they are all the same. This is Thai culture.

Thailand is a nation of irresponsible children who refuse to accept blame or take responsibility for anything and much like the Chinese, they worship money and the acquisition of it.

There's no point crying over spilt milk now that Thaksin has shown he is better adept at using these cultural flaws to his advantage.

[Lite Beer]

Opposition to resort to delay tactic during second reading of amnesty bill

BANGKOK: -- The opposition is apparently bent on using delaying tactics during the second reading of the controversial amnesty bill, chief opposition whip Jurin Laksanawisit indicated Tuesday.

Jurin said Democrat MPs have submitted 163 motions to seek changes to the amnesty bill but their proposals were rejected during the vetting.

As a result the Democrat MPs would reserve their right to debate the motions during the second reading, Jurin said.

Jurin quickly added that the debate would not be a delaying tactic.

"The parliament president should allow them to debate all the motions. It’s not a filibuster but MPs have a duty to fight against the amnesty law," he said

He also said opposition whip believed that the ruling Pheu Thai Party would flex its majority muscle to try to push for speedy passage of the bill during the second reading because the government would try to preempt mass rallies.


-- The Nation 2013-10-29

[Lancelot]

Thaksin could have done his time,a few weeks in a VIP prison,

but he knew once he had been inside he could never be PM

again, which is what he wants more than anything,just so he

can have his money returned plus interest,be whitewashed,

and reek havoc and take revenge on those he sees as been

his enemies .just like that other megalomaniac Burlusconi

regards Worgeordie

I agree that he could have played the wronged, selfless leader more effectively in prison.

Why couldn't he have been PM again?

Picture a political rally where T pleads for every one to get along, and begs to be allowed to retire to play golf. A few hundred planted supporters chant "We want Thaksin!" and T reluctantly allows himself to return, to serve the people.

To avoid a civil war, the law is changed to permit him to serve again as PM.

Right out of Machiavelli's play book

[bigbamboo]

Thaksin could have done his time,a few weeks in a VIP prison,

but he knew once he had been inside he could never be PM

again, which is what he wants more than anything,just so he

can have his money returned plus interest,be whitewashed,

and reek havoc and take revenge on those he sees as been

his enemies .just like that other megalomaniac Burlusconi

regards Worgeordie

I agree that he could have played the wronged, selfless leader more effectively in prison.

Why couldn't he have been PM again?

Picture a political rally where T pleads for every one to get along, and begs to be allowed to retire to play golf. A few hundred planted supporters chant "We want Thaksin!" and T reluctantly allows himself to return, to serve the people.

To avoid a civil war, the law is changed to permit him to serve again as PM.

Right out of Machiavelli's play book

Except of course he doesn't want to be the PM.....

Edited October 29, 2013 by bigbamboo