Saturday, February 14, 2009

Quitting politics in exchange for amnesty?


In the wake of the Pheau Thai Party's plan to propose a bill for a general
amnesty for all politicians, the inevitable question is whether the whole exercise is aimed at getting Thaksin Shinawatra off the hook.

If that's the case, the so-called "National Reconciliation Bill" would be a non-starter. But then I heard on radio just now that former Army Chief Gen Chaisith Shinawatra was proposing that Thaksin could pledge to abandon politics once and for all in exchange for an amnesty.

"I think Thaksin may consider this option. His family has learned the lesson. And I believe he also wants to spend the rest of his life in some peace," Gen Chaisith, one of Thaksin's nephews, said on "Lap, Luang, Prang" (Secret, Deception, Camouflage) programme on FM 100.5 just now.

The problem is even if Thaksin does make that statement, how many people would really believe him?

I for one will be quite skeptical.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The point of the amnesty under consideration is to allow the politicians who are banned from politics for five years to be able to participate in politics again.

What would be the point of Thaksin promising not to participate in politics in return for an amnesty to allow him to participate in politics?

hobby said...

Presumably, he'd have to serve his jail time before re-entering politics?
:)