Senate fails to kill amnesty bill
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Group of 40 denies Upper House quorum; speaker says consensus reached on rejecting bill
The blanket amnesty bill is still “alive” after the Senate yesterday failed to form a quorum to deliberate the controversial piece of legislation. The Senate had been expected to reject the bill, which was rushed through the House of Representatives.
Next week will be a crucial one for the government. An anti-amnesty rally led by the Democrat Party delivered an ultimatum for the ruling Pheu Thai Party to annul the bill by Monday evening. A “people’s court” will be set up to decide what action should be taken against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Prime Minister Yingluck.
The meeting of the 149-member Senate was scheduled to start at 2pm yesterday, but two hours later, only 69 senators were present – still short of the 75 needed for the quorum.
The so-called Group of 40 dissident senators boycotted the meeting, saying they wanted to wait until Monday to debate the amnesty bill, as per the original schedule. Amid the lack of quorum, the Senate speaker waited for more senators to join the meeting and meantime allowed members to discuss the bill. The meeting broke for a recess at 4.30pm.
Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij later met with the Group of 40 and failed to convince them to attend the meeting. Nikom resumed the meeting and told the chamber a consensus had been reached between both wings of the upper House to reject the bill in its first reading on Monday at 10am. The Speaker’s words brought vocal protests from senators who wanted to continue with the debate.
If the Senate rejects the bill, the House, where Pheu Thai has a majority, could still vote to reaffirm it after a 180-day period.
It is risky for the government to wait until Monday for the Senate to kill the bill. Its continuing existence will spur more people to join protest rallies over the weekend.
Pornthip Hirunkate, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, showed her disappointment with the impasse. Questioning the motives of senators who chose not to attend the meeting, she lamented their failure to help reduce the political heat with a decision on the bill that the business sector had been hoping for.
"The experienced senators showed a different view from the business sector's. We're worried about the situation and want politicians to act. But as they chose not to act, we could just sit and watch," she said. She added that she is concerned that the Senate's meeting on Monday as well as the judgement on the Preah Vihear could be a double blow to the country. "I just hope that all love the nation enough not to destroy it."
The Stock Exchange of Thailand index yesterday also shed 20.20 points on Friday or 1.42 per cent, to 1,405.03, purely on political concerns. On Thursday night,
It suits the opposition Democrat Party’s strategy that deliberations on the bill will be delayed until Monday, the same day the International Court of Justice will deliver its verdict on the Preah Vihear dispute. A ruling that Thailand must cede territory to Cambodia would hand protesters even more ammunition with which to attack the government.
Moreover, rally leader and Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban’s ultimatum comes with a threat that if Pheu Thai fails to “kill the bill”, the opposition will not accept the original amnesty legislation proposed by Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema. So, the government has no choice but to drop the bill eventually. The protesters could broaden their push against the amnesty bill in a bid topple the government or force it to dissolve the House.
The opposition party is also expected to push for a “no-confidence” debate against the government in the next few days, considering that the government would need at least two weeks to prepare to defend it and the parliamentary session will end on November 28, anonymous Democrat Party source said.
“The main issue in the debate would be corruption. The public is paying attention to this. We will talk about the rice-pledging scheme, the Bt350-billion water management project and the Bt2-trillion loan bill. More importantly, we will bring up the government’s behaviour in pushing the amnesty bill,” he said.
Meanwhile, fears have emerged of possible clashes between the groups of anti- and pro-amnesty protesters, as well as a police crackdown on demonstrators.
Apart from the Democrats’ Democracy Monument rally, the Students and People Network for Thailand’s Reform protest is ongoing at Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge, near Government House, while the Dharma Army protesters are occupying Phan Fa Lilat Bridge.
The red shirts will hold a mass rally at Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok tomorrow. Deputy Commerce Minister Nuttawut Saikuar yesterday announced on Facebook that the red shirts were rallying to show their unity with Pheu Thai and to defend democracy.
Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Kamronwit Thoopkrajang said police had no plans to disperse the crowds.
The government has continued its charm offensive to halt opposition to the bill, using every media channel and network available.
The education minister and his deputies yesterday called a meeting with universities’ top executives and asked them to explain the government’s position to students and lecturers. Meanwhile, key red-shirt leaders Jatuporn Promphan, Nuttawut Saikuar and Veerakarn Musigapong will be allowed back as hosts of television programme “Truth Today”. Their social media team will be busy communicating online with the red shirts.
