People jailed for political crimes 'united'
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PROTESTERS detained for their involvement in political demonstrations have placed their hopes in the reconciliation reform committee, says Phayaw Akkahad, a key member of the committee and someone who claims to have witnessed unity among detainees of conflicting political colours.

In an attempt to bring about reconciliation, Anek Laothamatas, chairman of the National Reform Council (NRC), last week led committee members on a visit to inmates incarcerated as a result of the political unrest to discuss reconciliation and to try to serve them with better justice.

"The political prisoners wish that we could possibly help them get back to their normal lives," Phayaw told The Nation.

She said the detainees could talk to and understand one another without seeing someone as a People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) member or someone else as a United Front for Democracy (UDD) against Dictatorship member.

Phayaw, whose daughter was killed during a UDD protest in 2010, became an activist who seeks to find the truth in political cases including seeking for justice for the protesters.

"If you have a chance to talk to them [the protesters in prison] you would understand that they are neither bad people nor deserve to be in jail like society views them, rather they are citizens of this country like everyone else," she said.

Phayaw said most of the people imprisoned for years were sincere in saying they would live good, normal life if given a second chance.

"If they were given another opportunity to regain their freedom, or another chance to start a new life, I believe these people will be the main force for driving society to realise that peaceful protest is their right and not a crime at all," she said.

The first thing the committee needed to do was focus on the prisoners because they were victims of Thai politics, she said, adding that reconciliation and unity must be done with actions more than words, something the committee realised.

She doubted that a single political leader or a leader of a group involved political protests had visited a prisoner.

Phayaw supports the idea of granting a pardon to the wrongdoers who admit their guilt, reasoning that a pardon would be the first big step towards reconciliation and unity in the society.

The charter drafters agreed to create a national reconciliation committee under the new constitution that would have the authority to request a pardon for wrongdoers.

"I am sure that even if we point a gun to their heads and threaten them, or force them to reconcile under any law, reconciliation will never be achieved," she said.

"But if people understand them and give them another chance to have a normal life, then conflicting parties would see the sincerity of Thai people and unity can happen again in our society."

Society should view them as citizens and not convicts, she said.

Another committee member, Boonlert Kachayudadej, said the committee was helping prisoner Anek Singkhunpob, who set off a bomb at the Bhumjaithai Party's headquarters on Phahonyothin Road in 2010, as he had lost an eye and was in danger of going blind.

"Anek must be treated quick because he will be totally blind without efficient medical care. He must be brought to a physician who can have a close look at his eye," Boonlert, also an NRC member said. He said he visited inmates jailed over the UDD protests in 2010 and the PDRC protests in late 2013 and early 2014.

Like Phayaw, he said prisoners from different political camps were living peacefully together in the same prison, and that unity could happen even in prison.

He said some prisoners had asked the Ministry of Justice to provide them with financial support to fight for justice in court.

"They want temporary bail in order to fight in court, asking for the justice. They also want to return to their families," he said.

Prisoners who had given up the fight were willing to admit to their crimes and waiting to be pardoned or have their sentences reduced.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/People-jailed-for-political-crimes-united-30255142.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-02

She doubted that a single political leader or a leader of a group involved political protests had visited a prisoner.

Says a great deal about how much the leaders care for those who have followed them and actually did what they implored them to do from the safety of their stages.

None of these people who are still locked up have ever had any help from the parties or leaders who led them to their political crimes. While the leaders have all been rewarded and given legal assistance and bail.

While saying that I do have to ask, What is a political crime, and how do the victims of a political crime differ from the victims of a criminal act ?

These people may be saying now that they were fools to listen to the leaders and do what they did, but there were millions who listened and did not do.

Should there not be some repercussions for those who did make the bombs, light the fires, pull the triggers, after all it was their decision to do these things regardless of why they thought they were doing it.

Then there is the question; were any of them paid to do these things, are they mercenaries like the leaders ?

"There are no political prisoners".

"...Phayaw said most of the people imprisoned for years were sincere in saying they would live good, normal life if given a second chance..."

It's good to know there is at least one sane person out their willing to apply some leniency to people incarcerated for a non-violent crime.

"...Phayaw said most of the people imprisoned for years were sincere in saying they would live good, normal life if given a second chance..."

It's good to know there is at least one sane person out their willing to apply some leniency to people incarcerated for a non-violent crime.

How do you know they are in there for non violent crimes ?

We know at least one of them was a bomb maker, it says so in the OP, that hardly qualifies as non violent.

If you can come up with a list of those who are in there for so called political crimes and the crimes they have been convicted of then we could get a better idea of who has and has not committed violent crime.

Or does it even have to be violent to be a serious crime, how about arson ?

The reasons why none of the political leaders have visited the detainees are multiple;

1. They are not allowed to visit. They were told to stay away.

2. A visit would lead to an accusation of incitement.

3. A visit could prejudice the treatment against a detainee.

The political leaders are in a difficult position.

BTW, although top leaders have not visited, the local political representatives from the communities from which the detainees come have in most cases been supportive of the detainees' families. There is just so much they can do without being accused of political incitement. Political affiliations whether it be in the yellow south or the red northeast are tied up with families and local community contacts.

The reasons why none of the political leaders have visited the detainees are multiple;

1. They are not allowed to visit. They were told to stay away.

2. A visit would lead to an accusation of incitement.

3. A visit could prejudice the treatment against a detainee.

The political leaders are in a difficult position.

BTW, although top leaders have not visited, the local political representatives from the communities from which the detainees come have in most cases been supportive of the detainees' families. There is just so much they can do without being accused of political incitement. Political affiliations whether it be in the yellow south or the red northeast are tied up with families and local community contacts.

Oh, but no one said political or protest group leaders need to be accompanied by a media circus.

The reasons why none of the political leaders have visited the detainees are multiple;

1. They are not allowed to visit. They were told to stay away.

2. A visit would lead to an accusation of incitement.

3. A visit could prejudice the treatment against a detainee.

The political leaders are in a difficult position.

BTW, although top leaders have not visited, the local political representatives from the communities from which the detainees come have in most cases been supportive of the detainees' families. There is just so much they can do without being accused of political incitement. Political affiliations whether it be in the yellow south or the red northeast are tied up with families and local community contacts.

Oh, but no one said political or protest group leaders need to be accompanied by a media circus.

But they would be, whether they wanted it or not.

The reasons why none of the political leaders have visited the detainees are multiple;

1. They are not allowed to visit. They were told to stay away.

2. A visit would lead to an accusation of incitement.

3. A visit could prejudice the treatment against a detainee.

The political leaders are in a difficult position.

BTW, although top leaders have not visited, the local political representatives from the communities from which the detainees come have in most cases been supportive of the detainees' families. There is just so much they can do without being accused of political incitement. Political affiliations whether it be in the yellow south or the red northeast are tied up with families and local community contacts.

That might be true now, but when the previous PTP government was in power for 3 years, why were they NOT visited or released thn.

After all they won the election and they could do what they wanted.

Democracy PTP style.

The reasons why none of the political leaders have visited the detainees are multiple;

1. They are not allowed to visit. They were told to stay away.

2. A visit would lead to an accusation of incitement.

3. A visit could prejudice the treatment against a detainee.

The political leaders are in a difficult position.

BTW, although top leaders have not visited, the local political representatives from the communities from which the detainees come have in most cases been supportive of the detainees' families. There is just so much they can do without being accused of political incitement. Political affiliations whether it be in the yellow south or the red northeast are tied up with families and local community contacts.

That is a load of bull.

I will concentrate on those detained in 2010 for most still detained are from those riots.

In 2010 the leaders were all locked along with the others, they had visits from lawyers and party members while the rank and file were ignored.

I saw an interview with one of those who had done his time and he told of these things and of food clothes and other gifts being given to the leaders, he said far more food than they could ever eat and nothing was ever given or passed on to them.

There is nothing that says lawyers can not visit client prisoners, there were never any lawyers provided for the ones still locked up and no bail ever offered.

The leaders were in a difficult position ?

They were in a wonderful position coming out of the riots as millionaires, MP"s and in a couple of case given cabinet posts while those they incited to riot and were charged and sentenced languished in jail with no help whatsoever.

The prisoners had been asking all along to be sent to prisons in their home provinces so their families could visit them more easily, these requests were ignored by their government, that's right the government of the party they supported and were jailed for fighting for.

It is only now that they are getting some attention. Where was PT during their tenure, why weren't they looking after their people, arranging bail for them, at the very least arranging for them to be close to their families, making sure they had everything they needed ?

According to the Thai envoy to the US, in his letter to the Washington Post, there are no political prisoners. That's a big relief. ...

According to the Thai envoy to the US, in his letter to the Washington Post, there are no political prisoners. That's a big relief. ...

Sure it is, the USA doesn't like political prisoners. Which reminds me, Guantanamo Bay prison is empty by now?

According to the Thai envoy to the US, in his letter to the Washington Post, there are no political prisoners. That's a big relief. ...

Sure it is, the USA doesn't like political prisoners. Which reminds me, Guantanamo Bay prison is empty by now?

Why? What does it have to do with the claim there are no political prisoners in Thailand?

What is a political prisoner?
Political crimes is more detailed.

If somebody shot at people, throw bombs or set fire to houses then it is a crime.

But if you only express opinions and physically harm anyone or anything, no one should be imprisoned for.

It is to condemn the violence and not the opinion.