PUBLISHED : 31 Oct 2024 at 04:00
Former Democrat Party MP Thepthai Senpong has accused the ruling Pheu Thai Party of breaking its promise made during last year’s general election to look into problems surrounding the lese majeste law and find a way to resolve them.
He delivered the criticism in a Facebook post made in response to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s affirmation made on Tuesday in her capacity as Pheu Thai leader that her party would submit its version of an amnesty bill to parliament so it could be deliberated along with other versions when the next session starts on Dec 12.
Ms Paetongtarn confirmed Pheu Thai’s bill will not include offences under Section 112, the lese majeste law, and Section 110 of the Criminal Code. Some of its coalition partners have also ruled out changes to these sections.
Mr Thepthai said Pheu Thai’s three prime ministerial candidates, including Ms Paetongtarn, during the 2023 election campaign, said the party intended to amend the lese majeste law and push to get Section 112 offenders released from jail.
However, Pheu Thai and Ms Paetongtarn have not helped these detained offenders nor pushed the House for a way out of problems facing the enforcement of the lese majeste law as promised, Mr Thepthai said.
The premier had also now declared the bill would not include Section 112 offences.
In its capacity as the ruling party, Pheu Thai could make what it promised during last year’s election about Section 112 a core policy of the coalition, but it has not.
It justified this move by claiming it was paying heed to the interests of its coalition partners, Mr Thepthai said.
Opposition chief whip Pakornwut Udompipatskul also asked where Pheu Thai stands on the lese majeste issue, noting that even the eight Pheu Thai MPs on the House’s special committee studying how the amnesty bill should be drafted are still seemingly at odds on the matter.
Pheu Thai on Tuesday decided to submit its version of the bill to parliament along with four other existing bills, while standing firm it would not amend Sections 110 and 112.
A source said Ms Paetongtarn told BBC Thai in 2023 she was aware of the problems related to Section 112 but the top priority for Pheu Thai was improving the economy.
A week before the election, she told a TV show Pheu Thai would never abolish the lese majeste law, the source said.