Bangkok: Parit Wacharasindhu, a prominent MP and deputy leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), has firmly reiterated the party's stance against the controversial amnesty bill. He expressed concerns that the amendments proposed by the Senate fail to address underlying issues of discrimination. Parit emphasized the party's clear opposition to granting amnesty in cases of corruption, highlighting the need for further discussions with the opposition whip next week to decide on the formation of a joint committee.
According to Thai News Agency, Parit commented on the Senate's approval of the draft Act on Promoting a Peaceful Society and the potential establishment of a joint committee between the two houses for further evaluation. He stated that while the opposition whip will need to vote on the matter next week, the PDP has already voiced its concerns over certain articles in the bill, arguing that it unfairly discriminates against cases related to past political expression. Despite amendments by the Senate, Parit asserted that these discriminatory elements remain unaddressed.
In response to inquiries about the position of other parties, such as the Bhumjaithai Party, Parit noted that their support for the draft bill is an internal matter for them. He also addressed worries about the bill's potential favoritism towards cases involving collusion in Senate elections. Parit reiterated the PDP's firm stance that the amnesty bill should exclude cases related to corruption, including Senate collusion, which the party considers a form of corruption. The party's proposal for the amnesty bill did not include an annex list and instead evaluated cases individually, with a focus on political motivations. The annex list was suggested by other political parties or the majority within the House of Representatives committee.
Parit also shed light on the ongoing discussions between the opposition and government whips regarding the draft constitution from the people's sector, set to be discussed in the next parliamentary session. He emphasized the importance of considering the people's draft constitution alongside others, as the public has clearly expressed a desire for a new constitution through a referendum. The opposition and government whips have informally agreed to wait for the people's draft to be considered simultaneously to avoid inconsistencies.
Parit urged the Speaker of Parliament to convene a formal meeting involving the government whip, opposition whip, and Senate to solidify informal discussions on whether the people's draft constitution should be considered alongside other drafts. He suggested that the current parliamentary session should address various constitutional amendments, including Article 236, which aims to prevent collusion between the government and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
Parit dismissed concerns that the People's Party's delay in considering the draft constitution might be perceived as reluctance to create a new constitution. He assured that the party is committed to moving forward with amending the constitution and encouraged public participation in signing a petition with the Conforall group to expedite the process.