Tension over amnesty rises ahead of House session
The political situation has become increasingly intense as the new parliamentary session approaches. A number of significant draft laws await House deliberation in this new session, while political developments outside Parliament are becoming confrontatio
Among the important bills expected to be tabled for House deliberation in this new session, which begins on August 1, are an amnesty bill proposed by a group of MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party, the Budget Bill for fiscal 2014, a reconciliation bill, the draft law for borrowing of Bt2 trillion, and three constitutional-amendment bills.
Of those pieces of legislation, only the Budget Bill is likely to pose no political problems, although opposition MPs may attack the government on certain budgetary issues. The other bills are essentially political time bombs.
The opposition Democrat Party has campaigned heavily against the amnesty bill. Democrat politicians have vowed to oppose such a law both inside and outside Parliament, holding weekly rallies against the bill.
Their stance is consistent with that of the anti-government Pitak Siam group, which had taken a low profile since a police crackdown on a rally that it staged. This group has made a return under the name of "People’s Army for Overthrowing the Thaksin Regime". They have made a six-point demand that the government is unlikely to meet, and they have called a rally on August 4.
In the face of increasing opposition, the government will need to consider carefully whether it should push for an amnesty law. Political missteps over the amnesty bill could cost it other bills, such as the bill for borrowing Bt2 trillion and the constitutional-amendment bills.
However, the government is also facing pressure from its red-shirt supporters to push for an amnesty bill to help ordinary protesters jailed in connection with the unrest of 2010. The red shirts have threatened not to protect the government against anti-government protesters if they are disappointed over the amnesty law.
Politicians from the ruling coalition have denied support for an amnesty bill proposed by relatives of protesters killed during the 2010 unrest.
These coalition politicians back an amnesty bill proposed by Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema that would include in its amnesty some people not considered ordinary protesters.
Only the opposition Democrats have voiced their backing for the dead protesters’ families, although some observers may suspect they have some hidden agenda.
Those among the red shirts who support the bill proposed by the dead protesters’ families will have to see if the Worachai bill would be modified in a way that would provide general amnesty to those committing criminal offences, as had been warned by critics and opposition politicians. If that is the case, it means the plight of ordinary protesters who have been jailed could be used to help some people out of their legal problems.
