Senate speaker concerned over amnesty bill

Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanit Wednesday voiced concern that the amnesty bill proposed by the Pheu Thai Party empowers police and public prosecutors to over-exercise their judgement, which may benefit certain groups and result in negative consequences.

Article 3 of the proposed amnesty bill, for instance, stipulates that the following actions are not regarded as offences -- and those who committed them are not held responsible: Any actions of any political groups which were a political expression, including those who did not attend political rallies but did anything which was the result of political conflict either verbally or advertising to oppose the state, defended themselves, resisted officials' arrests, held rallies or did any activity which adversely affected the lives, assets and rights of others in incidents continued from the political rallies or which were politically expressions from September 19, 2006 to May 10, 2011.The actions mentioned above do not include actions of those who made the decision and ordered the staging of a political movement during the specified period.