How the bill was pushed through

Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij explained that the upper chamber would not address the issue of whether the bill was a fiscal issue as the House had already ruled out the government’s fiscal responsibility.

 

He also reminded opponents of the bill to reconsider their stance, arguing that the bill was designed to absolve those involved in the political mayhem. 

 

“Street protesters should ask themselves why they are against amnesty, when it is meant to reduce political conflicts,” he said.

 

The House rushed the bill through the marathon second reading, which began on Thursday, and at 2.35am yesterday morning – in the midst of heated protests and delay tactics – the lawmakers were still debating Article 2 of the bill. 

 

Pheu Thai’s Pichet Chuamaun-gphan eventually moved to end the debate and cast a vote on the Article in order to break the deadlock. After a 314:40 vote on Article 2, the House moved on to Article 3 and half an hour into the debate, a recess was called. 

 

Soon after the House reconvened at around 3.20am, a number of Democrat MPs launched a protest against House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont, saying he was being unfair. Their protests were ignored as government lawmakers went ahead with pushing Article 3 with a 307:0 vote.

 

Proponents of the amnesty bill subsequently pushed through the remaining five Articles in quick succession, passing them in less than an hour. Soon after completing the second reading, the House quickly voted on the third reading, approving the bill’s final passage. The 19-hour debate came to an end at 4.25am yesterday.

 

Coalition chief whip Amnuay Klangpha insisted that the bill had not been pushed through speedily at the order of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, as has been alleged by the opposition. The voting was completed because the opposition refused to take the floor, he said.