Vote for Thai amnesty could be political suicide for senators

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Vote for amnesty could be political suicide for senators
Supon Thanukid
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- "Regardless of the outcome of the Senate's decision - be it to disagree with, to withhold or to revise the bill - I believe those members of Parliament who cast their vote for the bill's passage will accept the result for the sake of national reconciliation."

That was what Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said as part of the statement she made on Tuesday amid widespread public opposition to a government-backed bill to provide blanket amnesty to political-related cases. The bill would also grant amnesty to people convicted of corruption and criminal offences.

The prime minister may have realised that trying to hold herself above the problem - something she has practised for a long time - is not working in this case.

Remaining aloof is likely to threaten her government's stability. Earlier, she had avoided commenting on the controversial amnesty bill, explaining that it was a matter for Parliament, and not the administration.

In her statement, Yingluck appeared to be passing the buck to the Senate. "I want to plead for the senators, those appointed and those elected, to use their discretion while deliberating the bill. It is well known that the Senate is beyond interference." It appeared the prime minister was signalling to senators that they should vote freely on this amnesty bill, without concern for the government.

The prime minister's clear message should make it easy for many senators to make their decision on whether to support or oppose the amnesty bill.

In the next three months, a group of senators will have to complete their term in accordance with the Constitution. The charter was amended recently to allow incumbent senators to seek re-election immediately, without having to wait for another term to be completed. Many of the incumbent senators are known to be preparing for the next senatorial election.

Opposition to the proposed law for blanket amnesty has now expanded to a large group of diverse people and organisations all over the country, although a number of loyal government supporters have voiced their support for the bill.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the opposition Democrat Party, asked opponents of the amnesty bill to pressure senators to vote against it unless they want to lose the next senatorial election. "During the senatorial debate on the amnesty bill, I would like to ask people in the provinces to keep an eye on senators from their respective provinces. See if they vote to support the bill. If your senator backs the bill, you should not elect that person again," he said.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party appeared to be confident of strong backing from its supporters when its MPs rushed the amnesty bill through the House of Representatives overnight.

In fact, there was some warning from a small faction in the party, particularly some red-shirt MPs of the party closely connected to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). But nobody in the ruling party seemed to care. Many of Pheu Thai's red-shirt politicians were gagged.

As the situation appeared to be under control, the party's big boss - now in self-imposed exile overseas - seemed confident the amnesty bill was unlikely to attract much opposition - possibly 10,000 protesters at most.

Now it is clear that he made the wrong assessment. The waves of opposition against the Pheu Thai-backed bill have grown like wildfire.

The ball is now in the Senate's court. It is time for them to vote on the amnesty bill with their conscience. However, voting against the tide of public opinion could be political suicide for them.


-- The Nation 2013-11-08

[Thait Spot]

Interesting day today...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[virtualtraveller]

Yingluck's plea to the Senate is irrelevant, it's full of people who listen to Thaksin, and he gives orders irrespective of how it might destabilise things. This incident demonstrates amply why it's so important to maintain a Senate that is immune to partisan influence. Should this recur next year, with a fully Isarn elected Senate, they would likely pass the amnesty bill for the benefit of Thaksin and the country be damned.

[Pib]

The prime minister may have realised that trying to hold herself above the problem - something she has practised for a long time - is not working in this case.

Above statement hits the nail squarely on the head.

[waza]

In her statement, Yingluck appeared to be passing the buck to the Senate. "I want to plead for the senators, those appointed and those elected, to use their discretion while deliberating the bill. It is well known that the Senate is beyond interference."

Yer right.........

Yingluck urged the senators to consider the bill "on the basis of reconciliation and compassion". She said she believed the lower house would accept the Senate's decision, suggesting that her Pheu Thai party would not push the legislation further if the senate rejects it.

The ball is now in the Senate's court. It is time for them to vote on the amnesty bill with their conscience. However, voting against the tide of public opinion could be political suicide for them.

In her national televised address, Ms Yingluck urged the upper house to exercise full discretion in its deliberation of the bill based on national reconciliation and mercy......."The Senate will consider the amnesty bill thoroughly with public opinion being heeded," Mr Surachai pledged. "The decision will be based on rightness and the rule of law as well as the public interest and national stability."

Sounds like they are being influenced by public opinion and government interference

[renaissanc]

I expect that someone has contacted each senator with offerings of pastries as a thank you for their hard work, and an assurance that their financial future will be safe.

[jaidam]

I expect that someone has contacted each senator with offerings of pastries as a thank you for their hard work, and an assurance that their financial future will be safe.

Hopefully Mr T's lawyers have learned not to drive around to meet judges and senators with 2 identical boxes in the car, one containing 2 million baht in used bank notes and the other containing cakes. As we saw not so long ago, it's too easy to make an honest mistake and accidentally give the wrong box.

[Artisi]

I expect that someone has contacted each senator with offerings of pastries as a thank you for their hard work, and an assurance that their financial future will be safe.

Hopefully Mr T's lawyers have learned not to drive around to meet judges and senators with 2 identical boxes in the car, one containing 2 million baht in used bank notes and the other containing cakes. As we saw not so long ago, it's too easy to make an honest mistake and accidentally give the wrong box.

Agreed it would have been an awful mistake to have left the pastries for all to see - cheap charlie bribe.

[Waithai]

I expect that someone has contacted each senator with offerings of pastries as a thank you for their hard work, and an assurance that their financial future will be safe.

offerings no need be pastie ..insurence of finances in future ..yes..

[bigbamboo]

I expect that someone has contacted each senator with offerings of pastries as a thank you for their hard work, and an assurance that their financial future will be safe.

Hopefully Mr T's lawyers have learned not to drive around to meet judges and senators with 2 identical boxes in the car, one containing 2 million baht in used bank notes and the other containing cakes. As we saw not so long ago, it's too easy to make an honest mistake and accidentally give the wrong box.

Naughty........ but nice!

[Sunisalom]

WHERE are the reports about what the West, and ASEAN countries, have to say about this?

Where is reference, instead of the mumble jumble interior reporting from the NATION or TV?

-mel.

[chainarong]

WHERE are the reports about what the West, and ASEAN countries, have to say about this?

Where is reference, instead of the mumble jumble interior reporting from the NATION or TV?

-mel.

There has been no mention in the Australian press of this trouble brewing , only warnings on travel at the government web site, which have been there since 2010 anyway.

[waza]

WHERE are the reports about what the West, and ASEAN countries, have to say about this?

Where is reference, instead of the mumble jumble interior reporting from the NATION or TV?

-mel.

“Welcome to the Republic of Thaksin.” You won’t see these words displayed in the customs hall when arriving in Thailand, but the Land of Smiles has indeed morphed into the land of Thaksin Shinawatra.

That should be giving Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy plenty to frown about. Seven years after the former prime minister was ousted in a coup, Thaksin’s long shadow continues to dominate Thai politics. Since then, the country has seen six prime ministers, the most recent one being Thaksin’s baby sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-07/thailand-s-big-brother-drama.html

Is Bloomberg ok for you? Or the BBC............

All that changed last month when Mr Thaksin's party, Pheu Thai, suddenly expanded a modest amnesty proposal, which initially covered only ordinary people charged for involvement in past protests, to a sweeping absolution for all convictions related to political conflicts dating back to 2004.

It appeared to overturn not only Mr Thaksin's own 2008 conviction for abuse of power, but also to absolve those responsible for ordering the military to open fire on his supporters in 2010.

Thailand's commission for fighting corruption has estimated that 25,331 cases of corruption might be affected by the proposed amnesty. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24846792

Maybe the times......

BANGKOK — The Thai government is facing growing anger among its own supporters as well as protests by an emboldened opposition over a far-reaching amnesty bill that could allow former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return home by wiping clean corruption cases against him. “There’s no other place in the world where this would happen,” Abhisit Vejjajiva, a former prime minister and the leader of the opposition Democrat Party, told thousands of protesters who gathered in Bangkok on Saturday night. “The government is saying you can commit corruption and it will not be considered an offense and you won’t be punished.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/world/asia/amnesty-bill-stirs-opposition-in-thailand.html?_r=0

Edited November 8, 2013 by waza

[bander]

And reading this news it's now confirmed that Thailand is not a democratic country but just another banana republic who is controlled by a fugitive criminal dictator