KPI reviews past reconciliation panels for House

KPI reviews past reconciliation panels for House

The King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) is studying various reconciliation committee models and will submit a report to Parliament president Chuan Leekpai for consideration on Monday to decide on a way to resolve the recent student-led unrest, according to Woothisarn Tanchai, secretary-general of the institute.

Mr Chuan recently proposed the establishment of a committee to restore national harmony and end the current political conflict. The move came after the special parliament session earlier this week failed to reach an agreement on how to end the protests.

The KPI was hired by parliament to provide suggestions on who should sit on the committee and whether representatives of the youth-led, anti-dictatorship protesters should be invited to join.

Mr Woothisarn said the institute's current work involves the drafting of the composition of the proposed reconciliation panel and how it would operate.

However, the composition and structure are only to be decided by the parliament president and other officials involved.

The institute is looking into the structures of previous national and international reconciliation committees, he said, adding the KPI plans to submit a report, with a list of the strengths and weaknesses of previous committees, to Mr Chuan.

Mr Woothisarn said Thailand has in the past had such panels, including the Reconciliation Committee for Political Reform and Constitution Amendment, chaired by Direk Thuengfang, and the Truth for Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Kanit Nanakorn.

The report on these panels will include political and social contexts and why they were formed as well as the conditions panel members were faced with as they worked, he said.

"It is important that each side has a chance to listen to each other, but the contents shouldn't be disclosed," Mr Woothisarn said. "This is urgently needed. Mr Chuan will explain it later."

"We don't just gather the work done by the institute, but also the experiences of the previous governments," he noted.

Chusak Sirinil, deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party, on Friday expressed doubt over the proposal, saying the committee would not yield concrete results, adding he has yet to see the core elements needed to make the panel successful.

He said the opposition earlier decided not to participate because it thought the committee was set up by the government.

"Even if parliament now takes the lead, we have to see who sits on the committee -- if those who are partisan, students and representatives of the people are included," Mr Chusak said. "What's more, this type of committee can't do anything because it has no authority."

"It usually makes recommendations for the government," he added. "Will the government follow the suggestion if the prime minister is urged to resign? I'm not sure if we'll get concrete results," he added.

Songkhram Kitlertpairote, leader of the Puea Chat Party, called the proposal a time-buying tactic.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has welcomed the proposal and criticised parties that decided not to join.

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