Amnesty protest: Protesters occupy Ratchadamnoen Avenue
Tens of thousands (Democrats), 10.000 (police) or 20.000 (Bangkok Post reporters). Estimates of the number of demonstrators vary widely. But there were certainly many of them, enough to fill the wide Ratchadamnoen Avenue with the Democracy Monument.
Opposition party Democrats extended its rally yesterday. From Samsen station, thousands of demonstrators marched through the city in a long procession. At the Supreme Court and the Attorney General's Office they blew whistles, and at the Grand Palace they took an oath and solemnly pledged to fight for the national interest and against the corrupt.
On Ratchadamnoen, rally leader and MP Suthep Thaugsuban said last night that he had heard that the Senate would vote on the controversial amnesty proposal: 'But we can't rely on that. Anything can still happen.' He called on "all Thai patriots of every color" to come to Ratchadamnoen. “Me and all the protest leaders are not leaving here until we win. We're not retreating.'
The ruling Pheu Thai party is still determined to push through with the proposal. Pheu Thai members are seeking the support of the population, says spokesperson Prompong Nopparit. Pheu Thai MP Phichit Chuenban, a member of the parliamentary committee that amended the proposal, says the proposal protects former Prime Minister Thaksin from criminal prosecution, but he cannot reclaim the 46 billion baht seized from him because it is a civil matter.
According to Noppadol Pattama, Thaksin's legal adviser, the Senate will amend the bill in detail. When the changes are minor, the party has no problem with them, but when Article 3 is changed, the Senate and House of Representatives must form a committee to reach a compromise. In the amended Article 3 of the proposal, the amnesty now also applies to the army, the protest leaders and the authorities of the time.
Army Commander Prayuth Chan-ocha is concerned. He would like to see all parties sit around the table. “There are many problems now. One party says it's right, the other says it's wrong. They have to talk it out. The problems must be solved quickly or they get out of hand and old situations return. I wish they would learn that lesson.'
More news about the amnesty proposal later today in News from Thailand. The column appears a little later than usual because the newspaper hadn't been delivered and I had to go into town to get a copy.
(Source: Bangkok Post, 5 November 2013)
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It is becoming clearer by the day that the governing party Pheu Thai (inspired and prompted by Thaksin) has gotten into trouble with the amendment of the amnesty proposal. Many parties in this country could live with the 'old' proposal (amnesty for the 'ordinary' participants in all kinds of demonstrations, occupations, fights and shootings; not for the organizers and leaders). Not with some form of blank amnesty. Yesterday, Kuhn Chalerm joined those who oppose blank amnesty. He was demoted to Minister of Employment by the Pheu Thai (read: Thaksin) but is now striking back hard. For the good listener, the words of commander-in-chief Phrayuth also speak volumes. The army is fed up with the chaotic situation.
It seems that the Constitutional Court will not have to intervene because the senate will torpedo the new proposal and take the old one out of the closet. And then justice can finally take its course when all pending lawsuits are settled and new ones started.
Dear Hans,
I wrote a long time ago that kuhn Thaksin and kuhn Chalerm (as befits in Thailand, I am and remain polite and call people kuhn) are absolutely not friends, but few wanted to believe that at the time. Thaksin needed Chalerm (as a cunning political fox) to support the inexperienced Yingluck and to continue the tough Thaksin line against drugs and drug trafficking, especially because the king is a staunch opponent of drugs.
Chalerm no longer aspires to a place on the podium and is not expected to make himself available as a minister. He announced that almost 1.5 years ago. But he apparently couldn't help but finely reject the new version of the amnesty law in public, still serving as minister in the Yingluck government. Red-shirt leader Nattawut didn't have that guts when it came to a vote in parliament.
Moderator: Would the gentlemen please continue their discussion through other channels before chatting.