Chalerm offers his own version of reconciliation bill
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Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said yesterday that he would propose his own version of the reconciliation bill, which will be beneficial for all sides and bring about true peace.
Chalerm held a press conference along with Yasothon MP Piraphan Palusuk, who is also the ruling party’s legal adviser, at Parliament yesterday. He told the press that he would send his draft, which is comprised of six Articles, to all political parties, including the opposition.
In his bill, Article 3 stipulates that anybody who took part in political rallies or related activities after 2006 would not be regarded as having committed an offence.
Article 4 stipulates that any action committed at the order of the September 19, 2006 coup-makers or those appointed by them would not be regarded as offences.
Article 5 stipulates that those who are adversely affected by political rallies will be compensated.
“If any agency wants me to explain the bill, I’ll be ready,” Chalerm said. “If Pheu Thai considers the draft to be good, it might sponsor it. I won’t be against it if the red shirts want to sponsor the bill. But if nobody wants it, then I’ll have the bill sponsored by a group of MPs led by Piraphan.”
Chalerm went on to say that he would not gain any benefits from the bill, but “people across the country stand to gain. All political cases will be over and the country will have peace,” he explained.
The deputy PM said he believed the four reconciliation bills, which are pending the first reading in the House, will be difficult to enact, adding that his version would be easier because it granted blanket amnesty to all. Piraphan told the press that he had studied all previous drafts of amnesty bills, including the four pending in the House, and he preferred Chalerm’s version. He said that for true peace, amnesty should be granted to all groups otherwise the conflict would never end.
He said people needed to realise that supporting Chalerm’s bill will help rebuild peace in Thailand from scratch, adding that they also need to know that political cases were based on undemocratic situations earlier.
