The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected the proposal to include lese majeste in the list of offences that would be pardoned under a new political amnesty bill, with 270 MPs voting against the offence's inclusion, while 152 voted to support the push.
The proposal is part of a House special committee report that sets out the alternatives to the proposed amnesty bill for political offenders.
While the House voted against the inclusion of lese majeste, it endorsed the rest of the report, which outlined the results of the committee's research into various forms of amnesty that could be pursued.
The opposition People's Party (PP) is advocating an amnesty for those convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law, while MPs in the government coalition disagree with extending amnesty to those convicted of lese majeste.
The House will now forward the report to the government for consideration. However, the government is not obliged to follow the committee's suggestions.
Chairman of the special panel, Chousak Sirinil, said that the report is only a guideline for granting amnesty to political offenders.
Mr Chousak, who is also Pheu Thai's legal expert, said the report would be factored in when the House considers four amnesty bills that were tabled separately by the PP and some other parties in the next parliament session.
Wisut Chainarun, a Pheu Thai MP and chief government whip, had previously said the House is unlikely to deliberate any amnesty bill in the current session because they have not been screened by parliament whips.
Parliament is set to go into recess next week.
Bhumjaithai leader and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reiterated the party's stance against any effort to include lese majeste offences in any amnesty bill.
Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, a United Thai Nation Party member who sits on the House committee, said an amnesty should not be extended to those convicted of lese majeste.
He added there are 57,966 cases involving political offences since 2005. Out of these cases, there are 1,206 which involve offences under Section 112, Mr Pongpol noted.
Chaithawat Tulathon, a PP member and a member of the House committee, said the primary aim of an amnesty is to foster unity, not to repeal or disrupt any law.