Royal amnesty not yet finalised : Chalerm
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Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung on Wednesday said a Justice Ministry panel will be formed to study the details of the annual royal amnesty to mark HM the King's birthday in December.
He declined to confirm the widespread Thai media reports that the Yingluck administration has added extra changes to this year’s annual amnesty to benefit fugitive exPM Thaksin Shinawatra.
The panel, which would comprise about 20 members, would be assigned to study legislative details and the criteria of those who would be eligible to be granted the amnesty, Chalerm said.
The justice minister would forward the draft for cabinet endorsement and then to Council of State. If it were in order, the Cabinet’s secretary general would present it for endorsement.
“The royal amnesty decree is under HM the King’s power. I wish to confirm that this government would not do anything that is against the law and would not allow anyone to do so,” he said.
He refused to reveal the details of the amnesty, saying he would be criticised if the details did not turn out as he had indicated.
Chalerm also blamed a Cabinet member who spread information that the Cabinet on Tuesday met in secret to consider the amnesty. He claimed he knew who had revealed the details, but would do nothing as he is not the prime minister.
Media reports said that during a confidential Cabinet forum Tuesday limited to only a handful numbers of ministers and officials, it was decided that people convicted of corruption would be entitled to receive this year’s amnesty.
Last year’s royal decree, under which prisoners were released to mark the monarch’s birthday, excluded people convicted of drug trading and corruption.
The proclaimed changes to the annual amnesty would include another key point that would fully benefit Thaksin. The fact that Thaksin has yet to serve a day in prison has prompted questions of how he would be “released”. If this year’s conditions benefit fugitives, it will be a considerable change from Thai legal and royal traditions.
