Royal pardon bill

A version of a pardon bill, in honour of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday, will also benefit government officials serving disciplinary action and criminals who completed their terms before December 5 last year, Deputy Education Minister Sakda Khongphet said yesterday.

Such a pardon benefiting both groups had been granted during previous auspicious events when the King turned 56, 69, and 80, he said. The pardons would give beneficiaries [an opportunity] to amend their wrongdoings and begin new lives," he said.

"The conditions, proposed by Sakda, would be submitted to the Cabinet for approval and later for parliamentary scrutiny, if Education Minister Suchart Thadathamrongvej endorses it," he said.

Around 1,000 state teachers and ministry officials - most of who were punished for lesser crimes - would benefit from the pardon under Sakda's proposed conditions.

He said the pardon had nothing to do with any aspect of politics and would not benefit fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who did not qualify under the proposed conditions.