House panel going through draft amnesty legislation framework
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The House Committee on Reconcilia-tion is reviewing the framework for a draft amnesty legislation designed to mend fences among parties involved in political disturbances following the 2006 coup, MP and chairman Sonthi Boonyaratglin said yesterday.
“The drafting of the amnesty legislation will be done by the Council of State based on some 20 documents outlining past guidelines on political amnesty cases,” he said.
Sonthi said his committee would strive to implement reconciliation measures, including the amnesty draft by the Council of State, recommendations by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand, and the report on reconciliation models from 10 countries compiled by King Prajadhipok’s Institute.
At yesterday’s hearing, the committee heard testimony from representatives of the Federation of Thai Industries and Thai Bankers’ Association outlining damage inflicted on the economy by the political disturbances, he said.
Pheu Thai MP Chavalit Vichayasuthi said industrial representatives were urging a speedy resolution to the political conflict because the turmoil in recent years had severely had an impact on business confidence.
Democrat MP Nakorn Machim said he expected the report from King Prajadhipok’s Institute to sum up all testimony and provide a road map for reconciliation.
In a related development, opposition lawmakers wanted the government to adopt a clear stand on amending the charter instead of passing on the responsibility to coalition MPs, chief opposition whip Jurin Laksanawisit said.
Jurin said the government should specifically quell lingering doubts on five issues.
First, the government should take a lead in activating the charter rewrite, otherwise confusion would persist.
Second, if the charter was to be amended, then a referendum vote should be held on draft amendments. The 2007 Constitution underwent a referendum and the new charter should be subjected to the same treatment.
Third, the government should spell out flaws detected in the Constitution so as to enable people to form their judgement on whether the proposed amendments would be justified.
Fourth, the government must clarify whether it is pushing to amend Articles 237 and 309 of the Constitution. The first provision prescribes punishment of party dissolution for electoral fraud. The second is about coup-related activities which led to the conviction and punishment of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Fifth, the government should pledge to amend the charter to improve the political system and not to serve vested interests.
