Pheu Thai against granting amnesty to those accused of lese majeste

“The most important issue in previous charters that should also be included in the new one is amnesty. For instance, the 1974 charter stipulates that amnesty will not be granted to those who are against the monarchy,” he said. 

He also proposed that the new charter should be based on the 1997 constitution.

Bhokin, along with party representatives Samart Kaewmeechai and Preechapol Pongpanit, met the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) yesterday to offer Pheu Thai’s proposals for the new constitution and national reform. 

“The prime minister should come from an election, and MPs must be affiliated to political parties or politicians will have no discipline,” Bhokin said.

He went on to say that the 2007 charter, which was abolished after the coup in May, had a mechanism that obstructed political parties and created independent organisations that were biased, which led to social disputes. Hence, he said, this charter was not suitable for Thailand’s political system. 

 

‘Proposals based on 1997 charter’

He pointed out that the 2007 charter had been drafted by the previous coupmakers, who wanted to eliminate political party leaders by bringing back independent bodies to abuse the authorities, and it could be considered unlawful and biased. 

Bhokin said Pheu Thai’s proposals were based on the 1997 charter, because that constitution focused on strengthening civil politics and allowed people to offer ideas on drafting the charter, including impeaching politicians. 

He pointed out that the 1974 constitution clearly stated that amnesty would not be granted to anybody who acts against the monarchy or overthrows a constitution, adding that subsequent charters did not have this clause.

“There should be a clause prohibiting amnesty for those who seize constitutional authority. If there is no push for this clause, then conflicts will continue. We should also accept the fact that people will have contradictory ideas, but we have to solve this problem under a democratic system,” Bhokin said. 

He added that the authorities should also trust people’s decisions, adding that even though some people may be poor and uneducated, they did not lack intelligence. Hence, he said, the powers that be should produce a democratic ideology for them and allow more public participation. 

He suggested that the charter drafters check to see if the root of the problem was the law itself or if individuals were to blame. If problems come from the legal level, then drafters should address them, but if the problems lie with individuals, then it should not affect the drafting of the new charter, he said.