Thread: Amnesty for Former TRT Executives?

Meanwhile....this.......not sure what it says about the red shirt leaders, but I'm pretty sure it isn't good.

veena T. ‏@veen_NT

Red-shirt Kwanchai apologizes for failing to keep his promise to take reds to rally in BKK tomrw. "We're in Gov side," he said. via @can_nw

Kwanchai: the timing isn't right thks to upcoming BKK election. "A "phuyai" (powerful person) asked me not to pressure Govt." via

Originally Posted by sabang

I happen to agree. I wish the dems would start playing that role.

they can't when they are dealing with a fascist group on one side, and a bunch of thin skin billionaires criminals on the other

Despite the Red Shirt leaders deciding to stay away, as someone told them to, can't upset Pheu Thai's Bangkok election bid, right? (not sure what that has to do with the 1932 movement and the current amnesty, but never mind eh? Must be good little slaves...do what the big noises want), some Red Shirts have joined today's rally (see Hazz's post above) and pix and video below, from Daily News. Good to see that the Red Shirts (Thaksin proxy) leaders are ignored, gives me hope.

"

MCOT English News ‏@MCOT_Eng

Red shirt group rallies at Government House to submit letter to government demanding amnesty law; Deputy PM Chalerm receives petition

Red shirt co-leader denies moving against Yingluck government | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Jatuporn denies Yingluck rift

• Published: 29 Jan 2013 at 11.18
• Online news:

Jatuporn Prompan has denied a rumour that he is trying to oust the Yingluck Shinawatra government.

The co-leader of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) said he considers himself part of the Pheu Thai Party and the red-shirt group and therefore he would never move against the Pheu Thai-led administration.

There were some differences in ideas and views between the UDD and the government, but these could be settled through discussion, he added.

Mr Jatuporn believed the rumour was instigated by political rivals attempting to create conflict between the government and UDD.

Asked about the UDD’s plan to propose its draft amnesty bill to the government, Mr Jatuporn said UDD leaders will soon discuss with the prime minister on whether the issuance of the planned law is against the charter.

Deputy Commerce Minister Natthawut Saikuar will mediate to arrange a meeting between Ms Yingluck and UDD co-leaders, he said.

^ With the left-out of the cabinet Jatuporn, I'm sure the only disagreement is about how and when he gets his nice new ministerial position.

Meanwhile, the real Red Shirts rally. Without any of the leaders.

Jan 29 group rallies at Govt House | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

January 29 group rallies at Govt House

• Published: 29 Jan 2013 at 12.01
• Online news:

About 200 members of the January 29 group rallied in front of Government House on Tuesday demanding the government release detainees in political cases and accept draft amnesty legislation to be submitted by several groups for consideration, reports said.

The members of the group, drawn from Bangkok and other provinces, began to gather at the Royal Plaza about 6am.

They set up a stage in front of the equestrian statue of King Rama VI and put up 18 tents for use by those taking part in the rally.

Members of the group were later joined by a large number of red-shirts and moved to Government House about 9.30am.

They planned to submit a draft constitutional amendment drawn up by the Nitirat Group, which includes provisions on amnesty for those who were involved in political protests, to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The January 29 group would then read out a statement demanding the release of both detainees and those convicted in political cases.

The rally was set to end about 10pm on Tuesday.

Traffic congestion was already evident around the Royal Plaza and Government House by lunch time.

Thida Thawornseth, chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said the UDD had assigned Deputy Commerce Minister Nattawut Saikuar, a UDD leading member, to submit its draft of the amnesty decree to the prime minister today.

"The UDD does not expect the government to use its draft amnesty decree in its entirety. The draft may be subsequently altered," Mrs Thida said.

"Moreover, the UDD would have no objection if the government accepts for consderation the amnesty proposal of Ukrit Mongkolnavin, chairman of an independent committee for promotion of the rule of law," she said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said the January 29 group's rally was democratic and not outside the law.

He did not think the group was applying pressure on the government.

^^ Damed if I do, damned if I don't eh Tom? Thought you'd be pleased. Guess not. Or is it you just like to complain all the time, about everything, especially when it is to do with me.

Originally Posted by noelbino

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

The UDD co-leader insisted that the amnesty should not cover UDD co-leaders facing charges of terrorism and former premier and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and ex-deputy prime minister Suthep Thuagsuban facing charges of attempted murder relating to the 2010 protests.

So where is he coming from with this??

WTF does it matter as to who gets amnesty just so long as Thaksin gets it , ain't that why he chose her to go to the polls to represent him ?, the "sweeteners they produced proved irresistible to those in Issan (the Ayatollahs power base) who only believe in "jam today", tomorrow simply just does not exist

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

^^ Damed if I do, damned if I don't eh Tom? Thought you'd be pleased. Guess not. Or is it you just like to complain all the time, about everything, especially when it is to do with me.

Not at all. Just seems you pick and choose when to "redact" if the tone of the story strikes your fancy or supports Dem Party leanings or Thaksin-hate campaign.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Jatuporn Prompan has denied a rumour that he is trying to oust the Yingluck Shinawatra government.

oh please make it so be true,

Heads of Jan 29 Front have ties to the reds, Thaksin - The Nation

Heads of Jan 29 Front have ties to the reds, Thaksin

The Nation January 30, 2013 1:00 am

There are three leaders of the "January 29 Front - Free Political Prisoners", which held a rally yesterday calling for the release of people detained for involvement with the 2010 political unrest and those being imprisoned for violating the lese majeste law. They are:

Kamol Duangpasuk

He is a poet with the penname Mai-nueng Kor Kunthi. A resident of Samut Songkhram, Kamol graduated from Silpakorn University's Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts.

His poems have been published regularly in the Matichon Weekly magazine for over a decade. Known as a "people's poet", he participated in many rallies by the red shirts, reading his poems on stage for the participants.

Suda Rangkuphan

She is a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts and a key coordinator of the Patinya Na San (Declaration in front of the Court) group, which consists of activists campaigning against the coup of September 2006.

Her group often campaigned against Article 112 of the Penal Code involving lese majeste and regularly organised protests at the Criminal Court following verdicts in the high-profile cases against people found guilty of insulting the monarchy.

Darunee Kritboonyalai

She is a celebrity businesswoman who is known to have retained good ties with exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Darunee often took part in street protests by the red shirts and during the 2010 unrest. She was wanted by the authorities, along with other red-shirt leaders in connection with the upheaval and riots.

She made headlines last year when a woman publicly accused her of being disloyal to the monarchy, which prompted her to file a defamation complaint.

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Red shirts leave Chalerm red-faced - The Nation

Red shirts leave Chalerm red-faced

Atapoom Ongkulna,
Anapat Deechuay
The Nation January 30, 2013 1:00 am

Deputy PM pressured over an amnesty for all 'political prisoners'

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung found himself in an awkward situation yesterday when red-shirt protesters cornered and pressured him in front of the Government House to give a promise on a formal amnesty.

Chalerm appeared confident when he jumped on the sound truck before some 1,000 red-shirt protesters - only to be red-faced soon after when the protesters refused to let him leave until he gave them a promise of amnesty for all red-shirt "political prisoners".

The protesters led by Suda Rangkuphan, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts, gathered at the Royal Plaza at 9.15am.

They demanded the government grant an amnesty to all political prisoners through charter amendments as proposed by the Nitirat group of Thammasat University lecturers.

The group later moved from the Royal Plaza to rally in front of Government House. They kept on shouting "29 January - Releasing political prisoners" and "Power to the people". They demanded that Cabinet send a representative to accept their demands for adding a chapter on an amnesty and on political reconciliation to the charter.

When the atmosphere heated up, Chalerm left Government House to answer the demands.

After he jumped on the sound truck, he tried to sound friendly with the protesters, saying he was on the same side as the red-shirts. He said the prime minister was busy with the Cabinet meeting so she had sent him to meet them.

While Chalerm kept on boasting about his performance in stepping up legal cases against the previous government related to red-shirt crackdowns, he was interrupted by a red-shirt leader, Mainueng Kor Kunthee, who was also on the sound truck.

Mainueng reminded Chalerm that red-shirts rallied yesterday because they would like to know the government's stand on political prisoners.

Mainueng said Chalerm must pass on their demands to Cabinet - and it would have to inform the demonstrators of its decision by yesterday evening.

Chalerm tried to please the protesters by telling Mainueng he should not call red-shirt detainees "political prisoners" because they had done nothing wrong.

Mainueng argued that as the red-shirt detainees had done nothing wrong, why had the government not released them? The question appeared to put Chalerm in an awkward spot.

He initially declined to promise that Cabinet would be able to make a decision about an amnesty informally and inform the protesters by that evening.

Chalerm was allowed to leave only after he promised that Cabinet would send representatives to meet them at the Royal Plaza at 6pm to tell them of the Cabinet's decision.

PM's deputy secretary-general Tawat Boonfueng went to the rally venue last night, took to the stage and said such a law could not be pushed and finished in one day but the government would work on it.

January 29 group leader Suda Rangkuphan, who tried to calm the protesters, said on the stage that the group would allow the government to take action within the current parliamentary session, which will finish in April.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she had assigned Chalerm to receive the proposal and gather versions of laws presented for the government to consider. Legal experts, especially the Council of State, would then look into the matter.

Red-shirt leader Thida Thavornseth said yesterday Deputy Commerce Minister Natthawut Saikua, one of the red-shirt leaders, was assigned to cooperate with the government on the group's version of the amnesty law, which differs from that of Nitirat and the "29 January" Group.

The Nitirat Group proposed an amnesty bill as part of a changes to the constitution. The amnesty would cover all "political prisoners" including those detained due to lese majeste cases, but would exclude state officials, while the red shirt-sponsored draft would be in the form of an executive decree. Leaders of the rallies and state officials would not get an amnesty.

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Grassroots red-shirt rally puts govt in tricky spot - The Nation

Grassroots red-shirt rally puts govt in tricky spot

Attayuth Bootrsripoom
The Nation January 30, 2013 1:00 am

A demonstrator wears a symbolic chain tied to his neck and wrists during a rally yesterday outside Government House, which was led by red-shirt intellectuals calling for the release of red protesters from prisons.

Yesterday's rebel red-shirt protest caught many political observers by surprise. The rally drew a little over 1,000 people and had failed to get the blessing of the movement's leaders, but it will likely put the government in an awkward position.

The group, calling itself the "January 29 Front - Free Political Prisoners" - demanded the release of "political prisoners" and accused the government and red-shirt leaders of ignoring their plight to protect their grip on power. By "political prisoners" they meant people detained either for participation in the political unrest in 2010 or for lese majeste.

In its statement, the group said the ruling politicians and red-shirt leadership had made no sincere effort to "return justice to the political prisoners, although the power that you gained directly resulted from the fight of the red-shirt people". They also urged the government to pass the constitutional amendment proposed by the Nitirat group of academics that is said to offer a general amnesty to settle the political conflict.

The last straw for the group appeared to be the Criminal Court's recent sentencing of Voice of Taksin magazine editor Somyot Pruksakasemsuk to 10 years in prison for lese majeste. Earlier, the death of an elderly man in custody for the same charge also fomented much dissatisfaction among critics of Article 112 of the Criminal Code, or the "lese majeste" law.

The January 29 Front, which consists mostly of academics and campaigners against Article 112, is viewed as "more ideological" than other groups of red shirts. However, some of the group's leaders are known to be close chums with ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yesterday's demonstration was the first protest against the Yingluck Shinawatra government by any group of red shirts.

However, other red-shirt groups appear to be lukewarm to the notion of taking to the streets with this "hot issue" of lese majeste, not to mention publicly criticising "their government". Red-shirt leader Thida Thawornseth said the group's cause differed from hers and another leader, Kwanchai Praipana, said he opted to side with the government.

The January 29 Front has certainly caused uneasiness for the government by being aggressive in making its demands and insisting on quick action by the government.

This move by its own backers has put the Pheu Thai-led administration in a difficult position. The ruling coalition has carefully avoided any "risk factor" that could shorten its life span. They should be aware that their supporters' anguish could build up to become a strong force against them. However, by meeting all the demands of their supporters, the government will also risk upsetting the status quo - a step that could bring its downfall closer.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

PM's deputy secretary-general Tawat Boonfueng went to the rally venue last night, took to the stage and said such a law could not be pushed and finished in one day but the government would work on it.

very true, but one could expect some progress after more than 500 'only one' days in power. after all they control parliament and parliament makes the law. once would have thought they would be in a position to draft laws regarding bail and bail conditions. after all then holding a political prisoner on remand, allowing them out under house arrest with restrictions on who the can communicate with achieves the same result without the unpleasantness of jail.

All I have seen is some window dressing to keep the UDD quiet, namely the charging of mark and shutup.

this is quite a sad farce,

I don't see how it can end politely,

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Jatuporn Prompan has denied a rumour that he is trying to oust the Yingluck Shinawatra government.

Craven nonsense.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Grassroots red-shirt rally puts govt in tricky spot

So it should. I'm afraid, with the competing interest groups in Thai politics, real grass roots movements and concerns are often shoved to the back of the queue. The UDD are doing the right thing pressuring the government- they are the ones that paid the price, in blood sweat and tears, for the restoration of democracy in this country, and they are the ones being ignored now while the infantile 'big boys' play their silly games. If it wasn't for the UDD, it is questionable if Yingluck would be PM now. If they totally fall out, it is even more questionable she will be so again. The UDD probably control more clout in most swinging constituencies than the democrats.

It's the other way around, without the PT the reds would be just a rudderless bunches of malcontents and the UDD would not exist.

They were useful when the PT was in opposition, now they are just a useless pain in the arse, a few bones here and there will keep them quiet. The real focus now is getting money into the provinces to maintain stability.

The UDD restored democracy haha, very droll.

Originally Posted by longway

without the PT the reds would be just a rudderless bunches of malcontents

That is exactly the way the likes of Chalerm would like it- and it is incumbent on the UDD not to play ball, and just get trampled. You are quite wrong there, but at the same time it is naive to look at them as some sort of monolith. They have several different elements, or factions- provincial, Bangkok, northern, Isaan, rabidly pro-Thaksin, Thaksin neutral. Unlike BJT, I think the UDD are here to stay.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

they can't when they are dealing with a fascist group on one side, and a bunch of thin skin billionaires criminals on the other

All part of Thai politics no matter the party. Win majority then seek revenge on your political enemies, legally via a far from independent justice system or via non judicial methods.

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by longway

without the PT the reds would be just a rudderless bunches of malcontents

That is exactly the way the likes of Chalerm would like it- and it is incumbent on the UDD not to play ball, and just get trampled. You are quite wrong there, but at the same time it is naive to look at them as some sort of monolith. They have several different elements, or factions- provincial, Bangkok, northern, Isaan, rabidly pro-Thaksin, Thaksin neutral. Unlike BJT, I think the UDD are here to stay.

Who is looking at them as some kind of monolith? The main thing that most red shirt groups is their pro thaksin stance. He gets more government money spent in the ne and north of the country as long as he delivers the money they are happy.

Outside thaksin they have no real common identity, maybe a few things like anti army sentiments with a substantial minority wanting the unmentionable, but empty of anything but rhetoric, propaganda and negativity.

Kwanchai urges 'slow' amnesty | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Kwanchai urges 'slow' amnesty

• Published: 30 Jan 2013 at 21.27
• Online news:

Red-shirt core member Kwanchai Praipana Wednesday called on members of a red shirt-affiliated group to remain calm after they pressured the government to consider an amnesty for political offenders, warning such move could undermine voters’ support for Pheu Thai governor candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen.

The Udon Thani-based red-shirt leader was speaking after the “January 29 for the Release of Political Prisoners'' group, led by Chulalongkorn University lecturer Suda Rankupan, gathered at the Royal Plaza on Tuesday to urge the government to consider an amnesty proposal by the Nitirat group.

“Our Bangkok governor candidate (Pol Gen Pongsapat) is doing well so far. Coming out like this may unnecessarily frustrate undecided, neutral voters in the capital,” Mr Kwanchai said.

“It’s not the right timing [for the rally]. Can’t we wait. Why bring in the mass of people. Why five or six leaders from the group don’t sit down and discuss the issue with prime minister, why mobilised the rally.”

He said the group should not have thrown a political hot potato to the government as they already had difficulty handling the amnesty issue and listening to both supporters and opponents of the proposal. The group should wait for the outcome of the March 3rd election and file its request after that, Mr Kwanchai added.

The January 29 group dispersed about 8pm on Tuesday after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had agreed to forward Nitirat's proposal to the Council of State for consideration. The proposal will be referred back to the cabinet for further submission to parliament.

Nitirat's proposed amnesty would reach back to the September 2006 coup that ousted Ms Yingluck's brother Thaksin Shinawatra. It would cover all political offences committed since then.

The group, previously named the Declaration Outside the Court, has been campaigning for the release of political prisoners of all colours.

^ Why is Kwanchai pulling this crap?

This isn't a national election. It isn't removing Abhisit. It is just a normal (if that ever happens here) Bangkok election. Why do the Red Shirts have to play ball and be all quiet? It isn't about causing problems for Pheu Thai at a national level (or all the other excuses used to keep the Red Shirts inline before). It's just Bangkok.

Further evidence, as if any were needed, that the Red Shirts leaders are nothing but Thaksin's proxies. The real Red Shirts need to break away from these lying sacks of crap as soon as possible.