Senate misses Dems' 6pm deadline amid war of words
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It was clear from the beginning that the Senate would not finish deliberating the amnesty bill before the Democrats' 6pm deadline yesterday, considering the dozens of senators standing up to speak on it. The party earlier threatened to step up protests i
The Senate meeting started at about 10am, but it took three hours before deliberaitons could begin.
There were wars of words between senators against the amnesty bill and had refused to come to the meeting on Friday, and those who backed it.
Those who had not shown up on Friday, mostly appointed senators, said their colleagues who had attended the Friday session should not have blamed them as they had acted reasonably and responsibly.
Many said they did not trust the government to allow the amnesty bill to be dropped if the Senate rejected it.
They also asked Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij to confirm that the meeting last Friday would not be regarded as an official meeting and that it would have no effect to the amnesty bill.
Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul said a political party leaders’ decision not to push the bill further if it was rejected by the Senate would not have a binding effect on their party’s MPs, while the rejected bill would remain in Parliament.
She called for the withdrawal of the bill.
On Friday, only 69 out of 149 senators attended the urgently scheduled meeting, leaving it lacking a quorum.
However, Nikom let the attending senators speak while waiting and hoping that more members would arrive. They mainly attacked the senators who did not come to the meeting.
Senator Montien Boontan said he received documents related to the amnesty bill on Saturday, while one of his colleagues got his documents on Sunday.
They did not attend Friday’s meeting, as they were not able to consider the law without studying the reports.
During the meeting, appointed Senator Surasak Sri-aroon called on MPs who voted to pass the amnesty bill to resign, as they were responsible for the political turmoil.
Pheu Thai MP Vicharn Minchainant, a member of the House’s ad hoc committee deliberating the amnesty bill, defended his group, saying it had done its duty innocently and honestly in the public interest.
