Mother of slain paramedic calls for exemption of Abhisit, Suthep from amnesty
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Payao Akahad, mother of Kamolket, the paramedic who was fatally shot during the crackdown on demonstrators in May 2010, demanded on Thursday that the amnesty bill exclude former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thau
She submitted her demand in a letter to Samart Kaewmechai, chairman of the House ad hoc committee vetting the amnesty bill.
Her group, which includes relatives of victims killed or injured in the crackdown, called on the committee to amend a clause in the bill so that the former government leaders, who ordered the dispersal by troops of red-shirt demonstrators in 2010, would not receive an amnesty.
The group also called on the government to speed up assistance to those detained over the incident so that they could get bail.
Payao said the passage of the amnesty bill should be postponed pending public hearings on the issue.
She said if her group’s requests were not met, a demonstration could be planned.
The special House committee vetting the amnesty bill on Thursday allowed its members to present their opinions and reasons for disagreeing with the resolutions of the majority.
The session will continue through Friday.
The opinions would be compiled in a report for presentation to the House meeting during the second reading of the bill.
Committee chairman Samart Kaewmechai, from Pheu Thai Party, said he was not trying to conclude the vetting so that the bill could be returned to the House quickly. He pointed out, however, that the bill has only a few articles so vetting could be completed fast.
