Thread: House reconciliation panel set up

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ciliation.html

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ins-today.html (Thailand : Reconciliation begins today)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ciliation.html

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...n-forward.html (Thailand : Emergency Center to Push Reconciliation Forward)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ksin-left.html (Reconciliation not easy if Thaksin left out: governor)

https://teakdoor.com/battle-for-bangk...ciliation.html (Thailand : Red -shirt Leaders Renounce Reconciliation)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...n-roadmap.html (Thailand : Democrat admits disunity for reconciliation roadmap)

https://teakdoor.com/battle-for-bangk...e-shorter.html (PM to propose reconciliation plan, possible shorter timeframe for House dissolution)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...-rejected.html (PM: Regrets govt's reconciliation proposal rejected by protest leaders)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ciliation.html

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ciliation.html (PM: Coalition parties may consider 'reconciliation' act in Cabinet)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...l-justice.html (Thailand : Grand reconciliation through social justice and rule of law : PM)

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ation-his.html (Thailand : Thaksin calls for national reconciliation for his 59th birthday)

and the above is just page 1 of 17 with reconciliation in the title

https://teakdoor.com/search.php?searchid=6584897

Reconciliation in Thailand

Reconciliation panel to choose leader - The Nation

Reconciliation panel to choose leader

The Nation November 18, 2011 11:21 am

The 38-member special parliamentary committee on national reconciliation will elect a chairman when it meets for the first time at Government House at 10am today.

The panel was appointed yesterday with a 271:5 vote after the conclusion of a debate kicked off on Wednesday. The committee includes National Security Council secretary-general Wichean Potephosree, Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan, Council of State secretary-general Achporn Charuchinda, Democrat MP Ong-art Klampaiboon and Bhum Jai Thai MP Supachai Jaisamut.

Matubhum MP General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who had initially proposed that the committee be established, is also a member.

Bangkok Post : Institute steps into row over road map

RECONCILIATION

Institute steps into row over road map

• Published: 1/12/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

King Prajadhipok's Institute insists it will not be hijacked by pro-Thaksin Shinawatra forces as it draws up a road map for national reconciliation.

The organisation's head said yesterday it would remain politically neutral as it takes up an invitation by a parliamentary committee to devise a new approach to solving the country's ills.

Wuthisarn Tanchai, deputy secretary of the institute, says the institute's impartiality was assured, as it is supervised by a council comprising representatives from all sides of the political spectrum.

Anti-Thaksin groups have been up in arms since Matubhum Party leader Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, chairman of the House panel on national reconciliation, asked the institute to come up with a reconciliation road map.

The groups fear the Pheu Thai Party-led government will try to use the report to create a new amnesty law that would pave the way for the return of former premier Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup led by Gen Sonthi.

Chaiya Phromma, Pheu Thai MP for Nong Bua Lam Phu, said the institute's work would not play into the hands of any political group, be it the government, opposition or those outside of parliament.

Mr Chaiya said the institute will emphasise how to convince rival groups to forgive one another.

It will compare the Thai clashes with similar conflicts in more than 10 countries to reach a solution.

Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said it was too soon to say if the institute's research on national reconciliation would be exploited to support attempts to draft a new amnesty law.

He said he did not think the institute would turn itself into a political tool for anyone.

Opponents have warned the government not to push for a law to help grant an amnesty to Thaksin and bring him home from self-imposed exile abroad. He fled the country to escape serving a two-year jail sentence which was imposed for his part in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase scandal.

The institute said it will need four months to draw up the road map.

Red and yellow shirts ready for reconciliation but - The Nation

Red and yellow shirts ready for reconciliation but

The Nation December 7, 2011 10:31 am

The red-shirt movement will on this afternoon convene a meeting to map out a next step on spearheading for justice, red chairwoman Thida Thawornseth said on Wednesday.

"The red shirts are clear about their conditions for reconciliation," she said.

Thida said the national reconciliation will hinge on three conditions - uncovering the truth behind the political mayhem, bringing the culprits behind the last year's crackdown to justice and a guarantee to prevent a repeat of bloodshed.

On Tuesday, MP Sonthi Boonyaraglin, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the House committee on reconciliation, called for all sides to forgive and forget the policial disturbances.

He also said he would invite the rival camps to testify and spell out conditions to bring about reconciliation.

Reacting to Sonthi's remarks, Thida said she viewed the call for forgiveness was an empty gesture without a tangible plan to achieve reconciliation.

She said in her view, the red shirts would embrace reconciliation once the three conditions were met.

She also said the red shirts would not agree to a blanket amensty without punishing the culprits responsible for the bloodshed.

The People's Alliance for Democracy will welcome reconciliation only after uncovering the truth and punishing those responsible for triggering the violence and violating legal and constitutional provisions in the past five years.

"Forgiveness can happen but not via a short cut to whitewash the culprits," PAD's Suriyasai Katasila said in his capacity as leader of Green Politics, a splinter movement.

Suriyasai said he suspected the Pheu Thai Party to have been exploiting the committee on reconciliation in order to rescue Thaksin.

Though the red and yellow shirts are speaking about justice as the basis for reconciliation, the two camps are poles apart.

To the reds, a critical step for reconciliation would be the punishment of those cracking down on their rallies.

For the yellows, the reconciliation process should not help Thaksin elude his two-year jail term.

Multi-colour shirt leader Tul Sitthisomwong said amnesty, if granted, should confine to political activities and not criminal violations, such as rioting, assualts and corruption.

House panel to hear from Anand, Prawase - The Nation

House panel to hear from Anand, Prawase

The Nation December 12, 2011 1:00 am


The House committee on reconciliation is to convene by this week a hearing from three agencies and plans to invite two leading figures, Anand Panyarachun and Prawase Wasi, to testify on fence-mending measures.

The House committee on reconciliation is to convene by this week a hearing involving three agencies and plans to invite two leading figures, Anand Panyarachun and Prawase Wasi, to testify on fence-mending measures.

"The committee wants to solicit statements from Anand and Prawase on how to bring about reconciliation in a tangible manner," Democrat MP and committee spokesman Nakorn Machim said yesterday.

Former prime minister Anand is chairman of the National Reform Committee and social critic Prawase is chairman of the Reform Assembly.

Nakorn said representatives from the King Prajadhipok Institute, the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) and the Royal Thai Police have been scheduled to testify in the hearing.

The institute has been tasked with making two key recommendations - on the root cause of the political turmoil and on how to rectify double standards in law enforcement, he said.

The TRCT is expected to further shed light on last year's political disturbances in addition to its reports compiled and presented to the government, he said.

* Full Report of TRCT *

The committee wants the TRCT to clarify its definition of political prisoners and how law enforcement is applied to them, he said.

The police would report on the progress in solving the deaths linked to the political mayhem, he added.

Bhum Jai Thai MP and committee member Supachai Jaisamut said the institute would have 120 days to draw up its recommendations, which form, in turn, the basis for the committee to proceed on fostering reconciliation.

"Pending the institute's recommendations, the committee will decide its next move: whether to amend the charter or the laws needed to heal the divisiveness," Supachai said.

In a related development, legal adviser Noppadon Pattama issued a statement defending former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from what he said was a plot to instigate a new round of political turmoil.

Noppadon said Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut tried but failed to portray Thaksin in a bad light.

"The usual ploy to fault Thaksin is the reason why the Democrats repeatedly lost the elections," he said.

He insisted Thaksin had never condoned political violence but was a true advocate of peace and justice.

He said the Pheu Thai-led government under PM Yingluck Shinawatra has been on track to implement its campaign pledges and restore happiness for citizens.

Yingluck assumed office in a dignified manner after winning a landslide victory, unlike Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who manipulated rules to secure his premiership in the last government, he said.

Noppadon said the Yingluck government would not abuse power to serve Thaksin.

The pardon decree had been issued without Thaksin as a beneficiary and the passport review for him was not activated as speculated, he added.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said he suspected the involvement of an old power clique in planting two homemade bombs on Rajdamnoen Avenue last week. The bombs were detected and defused.

Prompong said a retired general might be the mastermind.

He said his main coalition party will tomorrow convene a meeting to vet draft laws for the next House session, scheduled to commence on December 21.

A number of Pheu Thai MPs are pushing to amend the Defence Ministry Administration Act, seen as a coup-sponsored law to block the political supervision of military appointments, he said.

Key reconciliation decisions to be made in Parliament: PM - The Nation

Key reconciliation decisions to be made in Parliament: PM

The Nation December 16, 2011 1:00 am

Parliament will play a leading role in relation to the legislation for reconciliation, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday, as she insisted that her government fully supported the law for mending fences and would support the issue.

"I want to see national reconciliation, peace, equality and impartial law for every Thai citizen," she said.

However, Yingluck said the final outcome of reconciliation would hinge on the legislative deliberation.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung might have aired his opinions on amnesty and reconciliation recently, but Parliament has yet to debate the issue properly, she explained.

She also added that she did not believe any particular individual could dominate or sway the collective decision made by the legislative vote.

Pheu Thai MP Natthawut Saikua said he was unaware of Chalerm's draft on reconciliation.

The House committee on reconciliation has commissioned a study on a road map before taking the next step of outlining how the political turmoil can be ended, he said, adding that the panel was not the government's puppet.

He said he was confident that the legislation to end political strife would be successful, as it would be based on lessons from several countries.

Democrat MP Nakorn Machim said Chalerm could not tell the committee how it should do its job.

"The committee members from Pheu Thai have not had confrontations with opposition lawmakers on how to bring about reconciliation," he said.

Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban said he opposed Chalerm's idea to grant amnesty to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as part of the reconciliation plan.

Granting Thaksin amnesty would only widen social divisions, he said, adding that making the words amnesty and reconciliation mean the same would only provoke people.

He reminded Chalerm that his push for amnesty might have pleased his boss Thaksin, but it undermined public confidence in this government.

^ So is it reconciliation or an amnesty, both or a mix of the 2...blurring of things going on in the above article. What does that suggest?

Yingluck doing her usual speech mentioning "law". How many times now? It is like an automatic response. Robot like.

Bangkok Post : Can we handle the truth?

Can we handle the truth?

• Published: 18/12/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Reconciliation, it's a fashionable buzz word. It's trendy. It's sexy. It's perhaps a bit overused, but if you roll the ''r'' just so, it's a fun word to pronounce over and over again.

Everyone likes to use the word reconciliation. We have to change the constitution because we want reconciliation. I won't come back to Thailand if reconciliation might be jeopardised. Let's uphold the institution in the interest of reconciliation.

So on and so forth.

In the Kingdom of Thailand in the closing days of the year 2011, if you have never uttered the word samannachan, or ''reconciliation'', you're just not hip.

However, the Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC) certainly has a tough task. This is because ''truth'' may cause more division than reconciliation.

Truth might not be in anyone's interest. Truth might bring many powerful individuals down. Truth might turn all our lives upside down.

The TRC proposed that leniency be shown to criminal suspects or convicts believed to have been driven by ideology and to review Thaksin Shinawatra's share concealment case.

These are not Earth-shattering conclusions. Whether they are the right things to do is debatable. Whether they will lead to reconciliation is, in this writer's humble opinion, a confident no.

A blanket amnesty has also been suggested by various politicians, academics and activists. Whether this is right or wrong is also debatable. Whether it will lead to reconciliation _ again a humble, yet confident no.

Those who will benefit from a blanket amnesty are those red and yellow shirts charged with various political crimes over the past five years. That leaves out two major players _ the Democrat Party and the military.

Perhaps then it is a sound strategy to target former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban, the two men in charge during the violence of 2009 and 2010.

The Democrat Party has always been against a blanket amnesty, but if they are brought into the fold of criminality, their tune may change.

However, this writer doubts that the two men will change their tune come what may.

It may also be a sound strategy to charge individuals in the military with alleged wrongful killings during their suppressions of protests. Bring them into the fold of criminality and thereby garner their support for amnesty out of a survival instinct. But this too is unlikely.

In any case, all the proposed plans for reconciliation seem to go nowhere.

In the closing days of 2011, Thailand's political crisis persists.

Political rivals continue to be at each other's throats. Human rights and freedom of speech are still being suppressed. The public at large remains as divided pawns on the chessboard. Bomb attacks still occur.
We have to consider the meaning of reconciliation.

Does reconciliation mean there will be no more red shirt UDD, no more red villages or a red movement?

Does reconciliation mean there will be no more yellow shirt PAD?

Does reconciliation mean the old establishment represented by the Democrats and the military and the new establishment headed by Thaksin will no longer vie for power and control?

Does reconciliation mean politicians will cease to abuse lese majeste statutes and the Computer Crime Act to serve their agendas?

Does reconciliation mean there will be no more bombings?

Throwing the word reconciliation around is meaningless if we don't specify what that would mean in practice.

Does it mean we would go back to status quo Thailand, where the populace is uniformly docile and submissive to a feudalistic oligarchy masquerading as a democracy? That's what the old establishment wants, the good old days.

Does it mean moving forward to a new Thai system in which the populace is uniformly docile and submissive to a capitalist oligarchy masquerading as a democracy? That's what the new establishment wants, the good new days.

Reconciliation only needs to result in Thailand embracing three things: the truth, freedom and human rights and the rule of law.

However, truth is unlikely to be revealed in the atmosphere of hatred and paranoia that we live in, when power and laws are abused by sinister individuals to keep it hidden.

Truth may never be revealed at all. Every country has secrets, dirty laundry if you will, otherwise WikiLeaks wouldn't have caused such a sensation. Thailand is no different.

So truth may always amount to hushed words whispered behind closed doors rather than out in the open for public debate.

In an atmosphere of hatred and paranoia, truth can be destructive.

Second, the political divide isn't the problem. The red or yellow shirts and villages aren't the problem. These are merely political choices. Every democracy has political divisions. Only in a dictatorship are there no political choices.

The problems are the abuses of human rights and freedoms that have been carried out by both sides of the political divide and championed by their supporters. The violence inflicted by all sides. For Thailand to move forward, we must embrace _ no matter what colour shirts we wear _ the basic principles of democracy.

When we can create a society where the fabric is held together by democratic principles, only then may the truth stand a chance of being revealed, and not be seen as a destructive element.

To the pessimists and ill-wishers, Thailand may be incapable of evolving into such a society. But such an ideal future is within the bounds of human capability, therefore it is possible.

Embrace the concepts of freedom and human rights, and then such cases as Uncle SMS, disenfranchised minorities, abuse of power and law, rote education, rigid social hierarchy, violence and so on and so forth will be few and far between, rather than the norm.

Lastly, respect for the rule of law is key to reconciliation. No society can exist without it.

In Thailand's political crisis, rival groups break the rule of law wantonly.

In Thailand in general, people break the rule of law wantonly in the interests of money, power and good old convenience. In other words, you can buy you way out of and into just about anything in this country _ and we are only too eager to accept corruption.

These three facets to true reconciliation come as a package. One can't be done without the other two.

The rule of law may be unjust if the law is not based on democratic principles. The truth, whatever it may be, can never be revealed and discussed out in the open, nor can responsibility be taken and accountability held, if a society exists in an atmosphere of hatred and paranoia. Truth stands the best chance where freedom and human rights are valued above all else.

And yes, rule of law means let the Democrats and Pheu Thai be at each other's throats in the political divide, let the public choose between them; but let the military be an instrument of the people, rather than a power player.

Political conflicts happen. The fight for power is a part of human nature regardless of the political system. A population divided is simply a condition of democracy where choices are offered. There will always be sinister men and women looking to abuse, manipulate and destroy, that's just a part of humanity.

The scenario of the past five years, played out with the tanks, the shootings, the bombings, the killings and the abuse of freedom and human rights, presented a powerful symbol of the lawlessness and anarchy that we suffer from.

This was all because we had not embraced truth, freedom, human rights and the rule of law. If we had, the conflict might have played out peacefully and democratically.

Truth can be in everyone's interest. Truth needs not bring anyone down. Truth doesn't have to turn anyone's life upside down.

We can handle the truth if it is pursued in the interests of freedom and human rights and the rule of (just) law.

If there's to be any reconciliation, Thailand must first come to grips with and accept the principles of democracy.


Voranai Vanijaka

Yingluck must steer the herd in the right direction - The Nation

burning issue

Yingluck must steer the herd in the right direction

Avudh Pananaada
The Nation
December 20, 2011 1:00 am

Pride, vendetta and political opportunism are the key reasons why national reconciliation is not making headway.

Several legislative agendas are scheduled to commence debate on the mending of fences next year, but the effort of ending political animosity might backfire and deepen divisions. And if Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra continues being coy about spearheading reconciliation, her government might end up being plagued by instability next year.

Yingluck is obliged to project decisiveness in steering the reconciliation process, otherwise her opponents will only hijack the fence-mending debate and turn it into a bashing campaign against her brother Thaksin.

In order to bring about reconciliation, the government must frame the debate so it focuses on closing the political divide. As long as the push for mending fences is seen as a pretext to bring Thaksin back, the political turmoil will intensify rather than dissipate.

Yingluck is understandably trying to avoid a conflict of interest when commenting on issues involving her brother. But her vague stance is fuelling suspicions of there being an ulterior motive behind the push for reconciliation. This is, in turn, is being exploited by the anti-Thaksin camp to drive a deeper wedge in society.

In South Africa, reconciliation could only be achieved after the advocates of racism repented and brought apartheid to an end.

Among the Thai politicians, reconciliation has become a catch phrase for political opportunism rather than a genuine attempt to heal the rift.

Though all sides agree that a political malady exists, they continue bickering about what the malady is and how it can be fixed.

Both pro- and anti-Thaksin camps are poles apart on their version of the term reconciliation. The rivalling camps have deeply entrenched views, attaching the country's political future to the fate of one man.

Thaksin's supporters believe that the political landscape will continue being mired by injustice if the former PM is not completely vindicated. His opponents, on the other hand, believe that politics can never be back on course until Thaksin starts serving his two-year jail term.

Both sides are refusing to swallow their pride for the sake of a greater good.

In 2007, street protests erupted to derail the charter rewrite spearheaded by the governments of Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat.

Next year, Pheu Thai Party and red-shirt allies are slated to activate the process of amending the charter, which they claim holds the key for reconciliation. However, the yellow shirts and their splinter groups are already preparing to block the charter amendments, which they see as a pretext to absolve Thaksin of his conviction.

Yingluck should be careful about how she treads the stormy waters of the legislative debate on charter rewrite. Her predecessors, Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat, had opted for a hands-off approach, allowing the then-People Power Party to dominate the rewrite and leave the opposition Democrat Party out in the cold.

The end result was an eruption of violence because the charter debate had spiralled out of control.

The Democrat-led government under Abhisit Vejjajiva had witnessed political disturbances and much bloodshed in 2009 and 2010 brought on by the wrath of the red shirts. Abhisit tried but failed to push for reconciliation because he kept the Pheu Thai Party on the sidelines.

Past efforts on reconciliation have failed because those in power had opted for a unilateral approach. If fences are to be mended, then those on either side of the fence should take a bipartisan approach. Yingluck is about to face the tough challenge of steering all sides toward making a concerted effort toward reconciliation. If she fails, she might see her early downfall.

See also https://teakdoor.com/1967317-post188.html

Originally Posted by SteveCM

Hmmm..... well, I think there's a justifiably diverse range of opinion on just how much Abhisit was even trying to "push for reconciliation" let alone how much he was even allowed to push for it.

Of course they pushed for real reconciliation ..... as long as destruction of the Red Shirts, Thaksin, and PueaThai was part of it.

^ and ^^^..well, check out this big pile of crap...Abhisit talking total bollox...

Country will only reunite if the reds are disbanded, Abhisit says - The Nation

Country will only reunite if the reds are disbanded, Abhisit says

THE NATION December 21, 2011 1:00 am


Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that he would work to bring all sides together provided there were no more red-shirt villages and the movement was dispersed.

"If the red-shirt movement does not come to an end, then the reconciliation cannot be achieved as per the 66/23 model," he said.

Pheu Thai MP Wattana Muangsuk, who is also deputy chairman of the House of Representatives committee on reconciliation, said earlier that his panel would study the 66/23 formula for reconciliation.

The 66/23 model was used by General Prem Tinsulanonda's government, which allowed communists to return to society and join a national development programme.

Abhisit said Kanit na Nakhon, chairman of the Truth for Reconciliation Committee of Thailand (TRCT), had said the definition of political prisoners should not include those who used weapons in political protests after the 2006 military coup.

General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, chairman of the House panel on reconciliation, said the committee had asked the Council of State to clarify the definition of political vocabulary as well as provide examples of amnesty being provided to political prisoners.

Committee spokesman Nakorn Machim said the King Prajadhipok Institute had agreed to research the steps that must be taken to bring about reconciliation, but would not draft legislation because that was the job of the Council of State.

In the past, amnesty has been granted to prisoners in cases related to national security, violators of the Communism Act, and students who participated in the 1973 Thammasat University uprising, he said. However, it was up to the public as to whether amnesty should be granted to political offenders, including those facing terrorism charges and violators of the emergency decree, rallies calling for basic rights and rights of expression as well as voting right revocation, Nakorn said.

Meanwhile, in reaction to TRCT's proposal that political detainees be kept away from common criminals, the Department of Corrections has started renovating a temporary prison in Bangkok's Lak Si district for the inmates, including detained red-shirt protesters.

However, Abhisit said it was clear nepotism if the centre was being prepared just so red-shirt detainees could be brought to the Lak Si prison from across the country.

Critics have also been saying that the temporary centre is being renovated to receive fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he returns to the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said yesterday that there was no way Thaksin would be detained at the Lak Si prison, and called on people to stop turning the renovation of the centre into a political issue.

He said he too was jailed when he joined a failed military coup against Prem's government, and his fellow detainees were communists or those waiting to be exiled.

"People who are turning this into a political issue don't know the history of the prison," Chalerm said. "In the first seven days of my detention, I was in solitary confinement and did not know whether it was day or night. Then I was moved to an ordinary cell. But I was still in jail."

Asked whether the renovation had anything to do with Thaksin, Chalerm said: "Nobody [of Thaksin's stature] will come. That's all."

When asked again if he meant Thaksin would not be detained if he returned to Thailand, Chalerm said: "I didn't say so. But don't wait, nobody will come."

[From what I can see, the following week-old piece hasn't been posted. It includes what seems to be the first substantial mention of Prem's "PM Order 66/23" - a reference that has since been picked up by others (including Abhisit - see above)]

'If we want peace, just don't talk - that's it' - The Nation

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

'If we want peace, just don't talk - that's it'

Kornchanok Raksaseri,
Nipawan Kaewrakmook
The Nation December 13, 2011



General Sonthi Boonyaratglin's concept of "Forget the past, think about the present and create the future" might be confusing to many people.

Attempting to clarify it in an exclusive interview with The Nation, the chairman of the House committee on reconciliation said the first step is to stop talking about the past.

To take the next steps, the House committee has asked the King Prajadhipok's Institute to study the proposals recently put forth by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand, chaired by Kanit na Nakhon, and determine how to make them realities.

"Don't bring up [what happened in] the past as a topic. It's like scratching a healing wound," he said. "Don't think too much, otherwise, we'll never move on. How do we want to see our country? If we want to see it ruined, just keep scratching until it bleeds again and again. If we want peace and order so we can be proud of our Thailand, just don't talk. That's it."

Sonthi, the leader of the 2006 coup, said he has military friends who have different opinions on the May 1992 violence and last year's political turmoil. They avoid talking about politics so as not to quarrel.

"It's impossible to forget the past literally. But we must take the events of the past as lessons and use the dharma and forgiveness principles to help," he said.

Asked to clarify this idea, Sonthi said, "Don't forget that such forgiveness has happened dozens of times in Thai history, including the 66/23 policy. At that time, we forgave and forgot. Now, many people who came back from the forest are in positions of leadership and ministerial posts."

The 66/23 order, issued in 1980, allowed people who had joined the anti-government movement and fled into the forest to return to society and join in the country's development.

Sonthi said the 38 members of his House committee and their advisers, despite expressing sharply differing opinions initially, now get along well at meetings. "We first remind all to keep in mind that we want to reconcile. That makes everything better. When politics [which he defined as anything involving politicians] improve, other things will follow."

"Problems exist everywhere. We must not let this become an issue. In Parliament, it's normal that political parties have different opinions. We don't look at the different political opinions for now. Just let it go for now. With gradual adjustments, everything will fall into place eventually," he said.

Asked about calls for changes to the lese majeste law, advocates of which have urged people to speak out instead of keeping quiet, Sonthi said, "In any society, people do not always agree. But if the majority agree, the minority will gradually follow. They might harbour disagreements for some time. But if society can provide good models, things will change accordingly."

Sonthi spoke of the principle of "majority rule, minority rights."

"We must listen to the minority view that problems related to Article 112 [of the Criminal Act] exist. So we allow Article 112 to be developed and improved."
Asked whether that means amending the law, Sonthi said, "It has its own way."

When asked to give a concrete example of the means by which this might be accomplished, Sonthi said, "How can a means under study can be concrete? It is still under study."

However, he added that, "The case of 66/23 could be a very good example. We should not scratch the wound. We should not talk too much - that's not good," he said, chuckling.

Asked whether the Nitirat Group's proposal to revoke all legal consequences of the 2006 coup would affect him in any way, Sonthi said, "Like I said, do not talk about the past. The past is the past. The situation changes all the time. At the time of the coup, don't you see that people agreed? Right now, the military's popularity is very high. But if you asked people last year, many people rejected the military."

Asked if he had spoken recently with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by the 2006 coup and is now de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party, Sonthi replied at once, "No, no, no." Asked whether he would ever want to talk to Thaksin, Sonthi laughed, before pausing.

"We have to think carefully: What good would come of it if I met him; what do we stand to lose if I don't?" Sonthi said, appearing to choose his words carefully.

As to whether Thaksin should be considered someone whose opinion was worth seeking out, Sonthi said, "Like I said, today we don't talk about an individual, understand?" He ended the interview there.

^ Prem's radical idea of amnesty (you could almost call it "Amnesty Plus") for the communist insurgents has been brought up before as at least an example of what can (arguably should) be done to break conflict log-jams - but it was in the context of dealing with what was very much an armed CPT insurgency. That's much closer to the ongoing situation in the South than to even the most lurid and fanciful versions of armed/violent elements said to lurk in the background of UDD/Redshirt activity. To put it plainly, UDD/Redshirts aren't FARC.

For some background on dealing with the CPT insurgency, see Thailand: anatomy of a counterinsurgency victory | Military Review | Find Articles - particularly p8 about "PM Order No. 66/23" and "PM Order No. 65/25".

Originally Posted by SteveCM

^ Prem's radical idea of amnesty (you could almost call it "Amnesty Plus") for the communist insurgents has been brought up before as at least an example of what can (arguably should) be done to break conflict log-jams - but it was in the context of dealing with what was very much an armed CPT insurgency. That's much closer to the ongoing situation in the South than to even the most lurid and fanciful versions of armed/violent elements said to lurk in the background of UDD/Redshirt activity. To put it plainly, UDD/Redshirts aren't FARC.

For some background on dealing with the CPT insurgency, see Thailand: anatomy of a counterinsurgency victory | Military Review | Find Articles - particularly p8 about "PM Order No. 66/23" and "PM Order No. 65/25".

It’s actually a really good paper on what happened to CPT and how a number of circumstances brought about its downfall as opposed to the victories in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

But, in addition to the comparison with today's Southern Insurgency, replacing CPT with UDD and you have amazingly accurate picture of what is going on today under the guise of a “democracy movement”. The founders of the UDD really show their Maoist roots, wouldn’t you say?

Its strategy was to negate the state's greater military power by mobilizing the people against it through the creation of a counterstate. Direct mobilization of a popular base and indirect mobilization through front organizations were to be the party's main lines of operation. Violence would be but one tool among many in an armed political campaign designed to march steadily towards seizure of the capital, Bangkok.
….
Tactically, the Communist Party used local guerrilla units (main forces were never formed) to challenge government control of certain areas. Operationally, the link between the party and the guerrillas was the clandestine infrastructure, the counterstate, rooted in CPT control of local areas that functioned as its bases for further expansion.
…
Simultaneously, to attract and unify popular support, CPT political themes and propaganda concentrated on promoting the perception that the party was the Thai people's sole champion, its only effective means to address grievances. Hence the CPT concentrated its activity mainly in rural areas beset by poverty and politically estranged from the central government.
….
To focus the resulting outburst, the CPT constructed its counterstate along standard Leninist lines. At the apex was a 7-man Politburo, below it a 25-man Central Committee. Central Committee members performed various staff functions, one of the most important being supervision of the military apparatus and creation of a united front (as called for by Maoist doctrine). Committee members frequently served as heads of Communist Party provincial (changwat) committees, which oversaw CPT district (amphoe) committees that, in turn, guided "township" (tambol) and village (muban or ban) party structures.

^

Originally Posted by Thaihome

The founders of the UDD really show their Maoist roots, wouldn’t you say?

See https://teakdoor.com/1829971-post178.html

Originally Posted by SteveCM

General Sonthi Boonyaratglin's concept of "Forget the past, think about the present and create the future" might be confusing to many people.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

George Santayana

Originally Posted by SteveCM

"Forget the past, think about the present and create the future"

Or "Forget the coup and Bkk murders, think about nothing and create a better future for abhisit, suthep and the coup mongers..."

Better if the thai axis of evil was disbanded, not the democratic reds

You can't argue with that

Framework for amnesty bill reviewed by House reconciliation panel - The Nation

Framework for amnesty bill reviewed by House reconciliation panel

December 27, 2011 5:00 pm

The House Committee on reconciliation is reviewing the framework for a draft amnesty legislation designed to mend fences among conflicting parties involved in the political disturbances following the 2006 coup, MP and chairman Sonthi Boonyaratglin said Tuesday.

"The drafting of amnesty legislation will be done by the Council of State based on some 20 documents outlining past guidelines on political amnesty cases," he said.

Sonthi said his committee would strive to implement reconciliation measures, including the amnesty draft by the Council of State, the recommendations by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand, the report on reconciliation models from 10 countries compiled by the King Prajadhipok's Institute.

The Nation

Bangkok Post : PM: Govt will bring about reconciliation

PM: Govt will bring about reconciliation

• Published: 31/12/2011 at 10:30 AM
• Online news:

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Saturday that she wishes the coming New Year to be the year of smiles and national reconciliation.

In her national address to people on her weekly talk show, Yingluck government meets people, on NBT this morning, the prime minister said she wishes the people happiness.

“People have faced problems of economic slowdown, high prices of consumer goods and flood crisis this year. I hope we all can go through all difficulties over the coming New Year”, she said.

Ms Yingluck said while the government will focus on plans to rapidly boost the economy as promised, it will also try to improve quality of lives of people.

“The government will also go ahead with its effort to bring about national reconciliation to the country. Thai people don’t want to see the problem of social division and political conflict any more.

“I am not a good speaker, but I have put utmost effort in working for the country. I will still put 100 per cent effort to work for the best benefit of people in the coming years.

“I do believe people had voted in support of me to work, not to play political game”, said the prime minister.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

And yes, rule of law means let the Democrats and Pheu Thai be at each other's throats in the political divide, let the public choose between them; but let the military be an instrument of the people, rather than a power player.

Truer words never said.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

"If the red-shirt movement does not come to an end, then the reconciliation cannot be achieved as per the 66/23 model,"

Loser Mark giving away his true colors. He's shop soiled and past his sell by date, Dem supporters. Unelectable for the foreseeable future. Drop him.

Originally Posted by Thaihome

Its strategy was to negate the state's greater military power by mobilizing the people against it through the creation of a counterstate.

Nothing particularly 'Maoist' about that- and calling a grassroots political organisation a 'counterstate' is a highly tendentious analogy. But what is most glaringly missing here is the Why. The reason for the UDD forming is because of the State's illegal and Unconstitutional abuse of military power, specifically against the majority.