PAD tells govt: Withdraw bills or we'll rally
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The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Parliament President Somsak Kiatsuranon to withdraw the contentious reconciliation bills to ease political tensions.
“If the bills are still on the agenda for the next Parliament session convening on August 1, the PAD will stage a rally,” spokesman Panthep Puapongpan said after a meeting of the group’s leaders.
The PAD echoed the opposition in condemning the reconciliation bills for trying to whitewash former prime minister and current fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of Yingluck.
The bills could create more conflicts in the country, Panthep said.
PAD co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul said the bills must be abandoned, not just postponed.
After the press conference, Panthep headed to Parliament and Government House to hand the group’s open letters to Somsak and Yingluck via their representatives.
The PAD wants to see clear action before the next session, Panthep said.
“We have to rally if there’s no response from the government,” he said.
Yingluck said it’s up to Parliament.
“The government did not |propose any reconciliation bill |to the legislature,” she said.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, said the PAD’s demand was an old issue.
“They just want to make governing difficult.”
However another red-shirt leader, Kokaew Pikulthong, said he supports the idea of delaying deliberation of the reconciliation bills from the start of the new session.
“It’s not suitable in this situation,” he said.
