Prawase declines invite to join reform forum

SOCIAL CRITIC Prawase Wasi has decided not to join the government-proposed political reform forum, saying he is far too old. After being personally invited to join by Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana and PM’s Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn, Prawase told the media that he preferred to lend a hand from outside, as the public would find his comments more acceptable. 

 

Ahead of a rally this month against the deliberation on a proposed amnesty bill, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra proposed a political reform forum in a bid to achieve national reconciliation. She also said last week that former British prime minister Tony Blair and former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan had agreed to contribute to Thailand’s political-reform efforts.

 

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is also a deputy prime minister, said on Tuesday that Annan would not be able to make the September 2 special talks, which he said were not related to the government-proposed reform forum. 

 

Meanwhile, Varathep said he might be able to release the names of those who have decided to join the forum, which will have 50 to 100 participants, by tomorrow. However, he said, the plans for the forum will be discussed after August 20, once the PM returns from a trip overseas. 

 

Those who have agreed to join the forum so far include former Senate Speaker Ukrit Mongkolnavin; former PM and Chart Thai Pattana Party’s chief adviser Banharn Silapa-archa; former PM General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh; former House Speaker Uthai Pimchaichon; Senate Speaker Nikhom Wairatpanij; Chart Pattana de facto leader and former deputy PM Suwat Liptapanlop; and Culture Minister and Phalang Chon Party leader Sontaya Kunplome.

 

Also, a group of academics yesterday submitted a letter of encouragement to Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema in support of the amnesty bill he has proposed, with the leader of the group saying that academics did not agree with the Law Reform Commission’s comments on the bill. 

 

Worapol Promigabutr, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s faculty of sociology and anthropology, criticised Kanit na Nakorn, a former attorney-general who now is chairman of the Truth for National Reconciliation Commission of Thailand, for saying the amnesty bill in principle “would go against transitional justice”.

 

“This [bill] is suitable in [its timing] and it can proceed according to the rule of law,” Worapol said.

On Tuesday, Kanit’s commission had said it disagreed with the bill because it would stop and cancel all legal processes against suspects and those responsible for deaths, injuries and damage during the 2010 political turmoil. 

 

Instead, the panel saw normal legal process, including proper investigation, as the first step to justice and reconciliation. It would prevent more violence in the future and become part of rehabilitation for the victims before other measures can be taken, Kanit said.

 

Worapol said his group also disagreed with the National Human Rights Commission, which is also against the amnesty bill for the same reasons as the Democrats. 

 

Meanwhile, some 50 red-shirt supporters yesterday rallied outside the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road demanding the resignation of the NHRC for siding with the Democrat government in its report over the 2010 crackdown. 

 

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said 163 Democrat MPs had submitted amendments for the amnesty bill to the committee to show their opposition to the legislation.

 

In a related report, the online Midnight University, which was co-established by historian Nidhi Eoseewong, issued a statement yesterday calling on lawmakers to ensure the amnesty bill takes into account public interest and not conflict of interest.