Chalerm plans a law on reconciliation
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Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung yesterday revealed that he would push for the enactment of legislation on reconciliation this year.
“I have completed drafting all six provisions by myself,” he said.
Chalerm said his draft legislation should not be confused with the amnesty issue, arguing that the draft was designed to resolve all issues arising since the coup of September 19, 2006.
“It must be legislation on reconciliation to resolve all conflicts – it is not an amnesty.”
He said he expected the ruling Pheu Thai Party to sponsor the bill, which would be circulated to solicit public opinion before the parliamentary debate.
“The circulation will start in the Northeast, where we will get support for sure. I am confident that at least 50 per cent of people support this idea,” Chalerm said.
He refused to disclose when he planned to unveil the draft, though he said he was upbeat about majority support for its passage.
He also denied he was helping fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return home, saying his draft would apply to all sides and not a specific individual.
Opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanawisit said the opposition would closely watch this issue.
“We are worried it will be one of three severe and very dangerous issues [that could lead] to more conflict,” Jurin said. The other two issues are constitutional amendment and the campaign against the lese majeste law.
A Pheu Thai MP said yesterday that Thaksin was worried about abuse of the lese majeste law as a political tool.
“Thaksin sees a potential problem in the other side using the lese majeste clause as a political tool against its opponents,” Philaphan Phalusuk said.
Philaphan said Thaksin did not view the provision on royal insult as problematic. He hinted at Thaksin’s stand in contrast to the call by the Nitirat academic group to amend the law.
He was speaking upon his return from Dubai, where he paid a visit to the former prime minister.
Philaphan said Thaksin has, in principle, supported the formation of the Constitution Drafting Assembly to take charge of the charter change – although the coalition has yet to finalise details of the CDA.
