Reconciliation panel agrees with KPI proposals: Sonthi

General Sonthi, an MP from the opposition Matubhum Party, said the panel had endorsed the KPI report, which outlined proposals on achieving national reconciliation. As Army chief, Sonth led a coup in September 2006 to overthrow the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, citing rampant corruption, abuse of power, and severe social division.

“The House committee has almost completed its work, and the remaining job is to gather comments from committee members,” Sonthi said after attending a four-hour-long meeting with the panel yesterday.

“I believe the research report from King Prajadhipok Institute will not cause more conflict. The proposals come in a multiple-choice format,” he said.

Sonthi said his panel’s report, which will be presented to Parliament, will also include the viewpoints of panel members who agree as well as those who disagree, adding that the panel would convene its last meeting next Tuesday. 

He also said that the panel and the KPI would be holding a press conference today to provide information on its proposals. Political party leaders, MPs and senators have been invited to join the event, which will be held at Bangkok’s Miracle Grand Hotel from 10am.

Opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday he had been invited to the event, and added that he hoped the KPI researchers would be able to answer questions about their report. 

However, he said, he disagreed that the House panel should be allowed to vote to decide on what proposals should be adopted. He said the decision should be based on the majority of the respondents or cases in KPI’s research study in order to avoid possible distortion of the findings.

For instance, he said, most foreign countries did not offer amnesty to offenders facing criminal charges.

Meanwhile, KPI’s deputy secretary-general Wuthisan Tanchai said yesterday that he did not think the institute’s report would please everybody. 

“The institute believes that in order to reconcile, one has to forgive first,” he said, adding that the KPI had proposed amnesty for offenders facing criminal cases as well as those who violated the law due to political motives. 

The KPI interviewed 47 people, including Abhisit and Thaksin, Wuthisan said, adding that a representative had been sent overseas to interview the former PM in person. 

At the panel’s meeting yesterday, members from the opposition said the KPI report was still incomplete and had to be finished before any decision could be made by the panel, a source said.