Red shirts call off protest | Bangkok Post: news

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Govt heads off protest threat

Red group stands down as PM mulls amnesty

Published: 30 Jan 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The government yesterday averted a protracted protest by a red shirt-affiliated group by agreeing to consider an amnesty for political offenders.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung addresses members of the red shirt-linked January 29 group who gathered at the Royal Plaza yesterday to demand the government consider an amnesty proposal for political offenders. PATIPAT JANTHONG

The "January 29 for the Release of Political Prisoners" group, led by Chulalongkorn University lecturer Suda Rankupan, gathered at the Royal Plaza from late morning Tuesday to urge the government to consider an amnesty proposal by the Nitirat group.

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mrsdonesh
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Discussion 14 : 30 Jan 2013 at 08.0614
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So, we have a big protest and we don't bring in the police to disperse but we send the Deputy PM to have a friendly talk with these stand-over merchants. All a bit obvious really.
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boontong
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Discussion 13 : 30 Jan 2013 at 08.0413
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No, to speaking righteously yet act criminally.
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boontong
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Discussion 12 : 30 Jan 2013 at 07.5012
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No, to amnesty before justice. Yes, to reconciliation process. No, to continual detention of political prisoners without trial. Yes, to release them pending trial.
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ATNN
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Discussion 11 : 30 Jan 2013 at 07.1111
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What an absurd production. Thaksin's Nitirat handing Thaksin's UDD an amnesty deal to Thaksin's own proxy government. Are people still going to try and claim Nitirat is "independent" and "academic?"
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mitrapaap
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Discussion 10 : 30 Jan 2013 at 07.0110
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"Mr Chalerm said an amnesty for political offenders should be granted by a law, not by an executive decree which could be stalled if the Constitution Court was asked to intervene."

The usual smart Mr. Chalerm knows very well how to prevent the amnesty getting jeopardized. But laws are 'rules' for the present and future to which people have to abide. How would you formulate a 'law' giving amnesty to people for what they did in the past??? Aside of course, that it would kill the credibility of any existing laws. Just do whatever you want, and later some smart guy will come and write a law to undo history.
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ATNN
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Discussion 9 : 30 Jan 2013 at 07.009
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Nitirat's amnesty dressed up in faux-academia, and carried by Thaksin's own red shirts, "strong arming" the government of Thaksin's own sister to grant him and his cohorts amnesty... how utterly absurd. Nitirat is damaging irrevocably academia, just as the UDD has damaged public assembly.
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watchdog
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Discussion 8 : 30 Jan 2013 at 06.368
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The cork was un-bottled long ago: before the 2010 protests, before the PAD demonstrations and even well before the 2006 Coup. You can't put the wine back in this old bottle. You can only do your best to try to persuade those in the inevitable move towards a popular democracy to avoid the excesses we have seen now and historically when countries make this transition. It cannot be stopped now. And trying to reverse the trend and go back to an imaginary "good old days" will only increase the odds of even more violent protests.
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pquinlan
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Discussion 7 : 30 Jan 2013 at 06.327
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Conned again. Is there no end to the political naivety?
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amazed
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Discussion 6 : 30 Jan 2013 at 06.276
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Thaksin's is a very special case and should be removed from consideration in any of these proposals. I don't think it is right, but granting amnesty to those who did not take part in planning or destructive behavior would be acceptable. If Thaksin does not support such an action, then his true motivations are glaringly apparent and "the good of the country" is not his concern.
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andreaust
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Discussion 5 : 30 Jan 2013 at 06.115
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Discussion 3,
What about burning buildings and raid hospital are these crimes?
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