Barkar Nash (Page 58)

270 MPs vote against including the offence

Chaithawat Tulathon, the ex-leader of the now-defunct Move Forward Party, on Friday expressed disappointment after the House rejected the proposal to include lese majeste in the list of offences that would be pardoned under a new political amnesty bill.

Mr Chaithawat was banned from politics for 10 years but was invited by the People’s Party (PP) to serve on a special House committee studying the proposed amnesty bill.

The vote took place on Thursday, with 270 MPs voting against including the offence and 152 voting to support the proposal. The proposal was part of a House special committee report on the proposed amnesty bill.

While the House voted against including 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.

Mr Chaithawat said the House’s decision meant that the lese majeste issue would not be forwarded to the cabinet for consideration, although the proposal included suggestions that would help foster reconciliation.

The vote result also suggested that the government might not propose its own version of an amnesty bill, dampening hopes for measures or policies to resolve political divisiveness, he said.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party might not propose an amnesty bill before the current session ends on Oct 30, he said.

However, Mr Chaithawat said that he and the MPs from the main opposition PP hoped to see other versions of the amnesty proposal submitted to the House.

The PP advocates for 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.

The PP’s amnesty bill is among four amnesty-related bills submitted to the House.

The three others were sponsored by civil groups: the United Thai Nation Party and the Khru Thai Party.

The proposed amnesty, as put forward by PP, would cover all politically motivated cases since Feb 11, 2006, the first protest held by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) against the Thaksin administration until the day the bill takes effect.

United Thai Nation member Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen said there have been 57,966 cases involving political offences since 2005. Of these, 1,206 involve offences under Section 112, he said.

270 MPs vote against including the offence

Chaithawat Tulathon, the ex-leader of the now-defunct Move Forward Party, on Friday expressed disappointment after the House rejected the proposal to include lese majeste in the list of offences that would be pardoned under a new political amnesty bill.

Mr Chaithawat was banned from politics for 10 years but was invited by the opposition People’s Party (PP) to serve on a special House committee studying the proposed amnesty bill.

The vote took place on Thursday, with 270 MPs voting against including the offence and 152 voting to support the proposal. The proposal was part of a House special committee report on the proposed amnesty bill.

While the House voted against including 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.

Mr Chaithawat said the House’s decision meant that the lese majeste issue would not be forwarded to the cabinet for consideration, although the proposal included suggestions that would help foster reconciliation.

The vote result also suggested that the government might not propose its own version of an amnesty bill, dampening hopes for measures or policies to resolve political divisiveness, he said.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party might not propose an amnesty bill before the current session ends on Oct 30, he said.

However, Mr Chaithawat said that he and the MPs from the main opposition PP hoped to see other versions of the amnesty proposal submitted to the House.

The PP advocates for 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.

The PP’s amnesty bill is among four amnesty-related bills submitted to the House.

The three others were sponsored by civil groups: the United Thai Nation Party and the Khru Thai Party.

The proposed amnesty, as put forward by PP, would cover all politically motivated cases since Feb 11, 2006, the first protest held by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) against the Thaksin Shinawatra administration until the day the bill takes effect.

United Thai Nation member Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen said there have been 57,966 cases involving political offences since 2005. Of these, 1,206 involve offences under Section 112, he said.

The families of the victims of the Oct 1 bus fire tragedy on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road filed petitions with the police yesterday, accusing four agencies of negligence that led to the disaster.

Senator Alongkot Worakee, chairman of the ad hoc committee reviewing the draft budget bill for fiscal year 2025, brought 23 families from Uthai Thani affected by the incident to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to submit the petitions.

On Oct 1, six teachers and 39 students were on a bus that caught fire while travelling along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani, during a school trip involving three buses. The fire killed 20 students and three teachers and seriously injured three others.

Sen Alongkot said that the petition was filed against the Sing Buri Provincial Land Transportation Office, Sing Buri Provincial Energy Office, Sing Buri Provincial Industrial Office, and engineers or technicians responsible for inspecting the bus’s gas tanks, accusing them of neglecting their duties under Section 157 of the Criminal Code.

The families intend to pursue both criminal and civil action against these government agencies, he said, adding that the agencies had not reached out to the families of the deceased or injured to offer assistance.

Sen Alongkot added that each family of the victims had initially received around 3 million baht in compensation from the Office of the Insurance Commission, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the provincial office of the Justice Ministry. For the injured students, each received about 1-2 million baht in compensation.

Meanwhile, Mahaphokai Khamkrasae, the father of one of the victims, expressed gratitude to the government for the financial support his family received. However, he remains deeply saddened by the tragedy, as do the other parents, and urged all relevant agencies to give justice to the victims. “As ordinary citizens, we lack the authority to seek justice for our lost loved ones,” he said.

Additionally, Surachai Liengboonlertchai, adviser to the House’s Road Safety Prevention and Mitigation Study Committee, called for the expedited inspection of 11,453 CNG-powered buses that have yet to undergo engine checks. The Department of Land Transportation (DLT) had inspected only 1,973 CNG-fuelled buses between Oct 4-20, with 196 found below standard and temporarily banned from the roads.

“Considering that Thailand has over 13,400 CNG-powered buses, the DLT’s progress is quite slow,” he said, given the Transport Ministry’s Nov 30 deadline to complete all the bus engine checks.

Paetongtarn forms new industry board

Thailand has set a goal to strengthen its position in the regional semiconductor industry. Efforts are being made to prepare a skilled workforce for surging demands.

The country’s semiconductor industry is gaining pace with the establishment of the National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Industry Policy Committee, also known as the National Semiconductor Board, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Ms Paetongtarn signed an order to establish the semiconductor board on Thursday.

The board will set policy directions and goals to develop the country’s semiconductor and advanced electronics industry, devise a road map for investment promotion, skilled workforce and supply chain development, and create an environment conducive to strengthening the industry.

The semiconductor board will also be responsible for screening action plans and projects for the industry’s development submitted by state agencies before presenting them to the cabinet for approval.

It will also be responsible for following up on and assessing those projects to ensure they deliver tangible results.

The board will also consist of Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira as deputy chairman and other cabinet ministers as members.

They include the Foreign Affairs Minister, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the Digital Economy and Society Minister, and the Industry Minister.

Other committee members include the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the secretary-general of the Vocational Education Commission and the president of the Federation of Thai Industries.

The secretary-general of the Board of Investment (BOI) will serve as the semiconductor board’s secretary.

Mr Pichai on Friday hailed Ms Paetongtarn’s decision to establish the semiconductor board, saying the initiative will benefit the country’s economic growth as it will help attract foreign investment in the country’s technological development.

The semiconductor board will oversee efforts to mobilise resources to develop a skilled workforce to respond to the growing semiconductor industry, the minister said.

The government will also support investment in the industry through the BOI’s Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, Mr Pichai said. The fund offers promotional privileges for investors, including financial support, an exemption from corporate income tax, and a waiver of tariffs on imported machinery and raw materials.

Mr Pichai said the establishment of the semiconductor board represents a significant starting point for the industry’s development, with a clear strategy to improve its semiconductor supply chain.

With the prime minister as the board’s chairperson, the government is fully committed to strengthening Thailand’s position as a leader in the regional semiconductor and advanced electronics industry, Mr Pichai said.

He said the board will ensure consistency, cohesion and speed in implementing policies and measures to achieve the goals.

Semiconductors are the key components of modern electronics, including microprocessors, memory chips, computers, smartphones and electric vehicles, as well as artificial intelligence, he said.