Thai parliament passes laws to give immunity for Asean staffs

Elated Surin told The Nation in a telephone interview that the passage of this law will enable Thailand to ratify the Asean Charter in the near future.

The Asean chief has been lobbying the Thai lawmakers of the importance of charter's ratification because the country is the current chair of Asean.

The members of Parliament voted 269 in support of the law with three absentee. "Thailand can set a good example for Asean, " Surin said adding that now the law will through the Senate's vetting, which is scheduled to deliberate on 16 September.

The Asean chief met with the leaders of the two houses, Chai Chidchob and Prasobsuk Boondej earlier during the week to brief them on the significance of Asean Charter and its ratification. Before that, he met with former prime minister Samak Sundaravej, who promised a swift passage of the charter.

The Senate is expected to approve the law in three readings next week. Both Indonesian and Filipino lawmakers are also in the process of doing the same. Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and Brunei have already ratified the charter.