Nattawut pushes for 2 bills to seek justice for red shirts killed in 2010 crackdown

Nattawut, a co-leader of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), on Tuesday handed a letter to Pheu Thai executives urging them to push for the passing of the bills.

The bills in question are an organic act on the prevention and suppression of corruption and an organic act on criminal procedures against individuals holding political positions.

Both bills have been spearheaded by the ruling party’s deputy leader Chousak Sirinil.

Nattawut said that once enacted, these organic laws will allow victims to directly file a court petition even if it has been rejected or overturned by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

The laws will also allow victims to go to court even after the case has been forwarded to public prosecutors, he said.

Nattawut said he would meet members of the opposition, including Move Forward Party’s leader Chaithawat Tulathon, right away to solicit support.

When asked if these laws would allow people to lodge unnecessary petitions in court, he said only “direct” victims could use the laws.

The two drafts are set to be submitted to Parliament on Thursday.

While campaigning for votes at the May 14 general election last year, Nattawut promised that these two bills would be enacted to “seek justice for those who died in the 2010 military crackdown on red-shirt protesters”. These laws will allow relatives of the victims to directly file lawsuits against the authorities.

According to Thai media reports, at least 98 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured in the crackdowns between April and May 2010.

Nattawut gave up his post as director of the Pheu Thai Family after the party decided to join forces with junta-backed parties to form the government.

He had previously served as deputy commerce and deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister in Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.