Families of people killed during the anti-government protests led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) in 2013 and 2014 may get around 400,000 baht compensation under a proposal being prepared by an ad hoc committee, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngarm said on Wednesday.
Mr Wissanu was speaking after a meeting of the committee considering compensation for victims of political protests during two periods - the protests led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) between 2004-2010, and those led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) in 2013-2014.
Compensation for victims of political protest has been one of the present government's policies since it took office, as part of its reconciliation effort, he said.
Mr Wissanu said the committee decided not to consider compensation for those affected by the 2004-2010 protests at this time because a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) subcommittee led by Vicha Mahakhun had agreed there were grounds to bring charges against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra for misconduct and abuse of power in the payment of compensation to families of victims of political unrest.
Two billion baht of state funds were spent on compensation for protesters and families of protesters who died or were injured during political demonstrations from 2004 to 2010.
Mr Vicha said his panel found there was no law supporting the disbursement of the compensation approved by Ms Yingluck’s cabinet -- around seven million baht per victim.
Therefore, the committee would first consider only compensation for victims of the 2013-2014 protests, Mr Wissanu said.
The committee would next week, or possibly the following week, propose a compensation package for the cabinet to consider. The committee would propose that compensation should be based on four laws -- the law on compensation for victims in criminal cases; the law on welfare for victims of road accidents; the Social Security Act; and the law on welfare for victims of public disasters.
The criteria for giving compensation to victims of insurgency-related incidents in the South would also be applied to mete out the payments.
Mr Wissanu said that, in rough figures, this meant families of those who lost their lives in the 2013-2014 protests would get about 400,000 baht each. Consideration would also be given to compensation for the injured, the disabled, and for damage to property.