National reconciliation bills to be put on hold: Somsak
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House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranon said Monday that the four national reconciliation bills would be put on hold until the coalition partners reach a common stand on the issue.
Somsak said the four bills will not be deliberated when the House convenes the first meeting of the new parliamentary session on Wednesday.
One of the four bills was sponsored by Matubhum Party leader Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin.
Before the end of the last parliamentary session, the four bills led to strong protests by Democrat MPs against Somsak when the House speaker proceeded with a vote as to whether the four bills should be at the top of the House’s agenda in the new session.
The Democrats and the People’s Alliance for Democracy alleged that the four reconciliation bills would not create real unity but would seek to absolve alleged wrongdoing of former prime minister Thaskin Shinawatra and to return his Bt4.6 billion worth of assets.
PAD spokesman Parnthep Puapongphan said the PAD would not stage a rally at Parliament on Wednesday because the four bills would not be deliberated. However, the PAD would protest if it became clear that the House would go ahead with deliberation of the bills
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva reiterated that his party was against the reconciliation bills as they would seek to absolve Thaksin only, and thus would create more rifts in society.
