40 Senators reject PM's reform initiative unless bills withdrawn
The Group of 40 Senators, speaking during a Senate meeting on Monday, refused to join the "political reform" as proposed by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra unless the government first withdraws the amnesty and reconciliation bills from parliamentary
Senator Somchai Swangkarn said Yingluck should first study the solutions proposed by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand led by Kanit na Nakhon.
Moreover, the government should first lift the ISA, and withdraw all the amnesty and reconciliation bills as well as Constitution amendment bills from Parliament, he said. Besides this, the police and the Department of Special Investigation should expedite probes into the killings of people and soldiers during the political turmoil in 2010. Also, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry should expedite investigations into all violations of the lese majeste law, Somchai said. In addition, the Red Shirt Villages and red-shirt community radio stations’ political provocations of the people should stop, he said.
