Bills not aimed at getting Thaksin his money back: PM

“Isn’t it too soon to judge that the reconciliation bills will specially benefit someone? I advise everyone to carefully consider the content of the bills. If the majority will not accept the bills, it will be surely dropped. But if the reconciliation process stops, how will the country go on?” Yingluck said.

She also asked all to respect the democratic process and the voice of the majority.

“I haven’t seen the reconciliation bills but I believe every bill will benefit all groups of people. It is difficult for everyone to forget about the past as some people have lost their loved ones. The pain is unforgettable. But I want people to forgive each other so that the country can move on. That is the objective of the reconciliation,” she said.

Asked about the yellow-shirt protesters, she said that she understands their thoughts but she asked them to respect the law and demonstrate in peace.

At a forum held yesterday by the Thai Journalists Association on “Reconciliation for Whom?”, it was proposed that there should be a clear answers to people’s doubts such as whether there would be a refund of Bt46 billion to Thaksin. Such clarity would prevent violence.

“Belief is hard to change. Distrust has already happened. It must be accepted that before the military coup [in 2006], there was abuse of power and refusal to listen to the voice of the people. That was the weakness of politicians,” Ekachai Sriwilas, director of the Office of Peace and Governance at King Prajadhipok’s Institute, said. “Listening takes time. Giving time and opening platforms for sharing opinions will help reduce violence,” he said.

“It seems MPs don’t want to do that and claim they were elected by the people. They are representatives and don’t have to listen to anybody. That’s the weakness of politicians,” he added.

Democrat MP Thaworn Senneam said the government and opposition whips, and Prime Minister Yingluck and Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva should discuss ways to reconciliation. However, a neutral mediator should be in charge of the implementation.

Pheu Thai MP Chavalit Wichayasut said he agreed with such ideas but it must be emphasised that it was not Yingluck who had proposed the reconciliation bill although the government is 100 per cent behind the proposal.

“I believe that in politics, we need to forgive. If only criminal penalties are imposed, chaos will happen. So we need a reconciliation of justice to end the conflicts.”

Later during the forum, Chavalit and Thaworn were involved in a short war of words.