Bangkok: “Teng,” formally known as Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, has expressed disappointment following the House of Representatives’ decision to reject two amnesty bills associated with the People’s Party and the Civil Society Network.

According to Thai News Agency, the leader of the Prachachon Party and opposition believes that despite this setback, there remains an opportunity to push for a universal amnesty that avoids discrimination.

Mr. Nattapong emphasized that even though the rejection has left many, including members of his party, dissatisfied, the parliamentary process still holds potential. Out of the three bills that passed the initial reading, two remain open in principle. The Prachachon Party’s committee members are prepared to engage fully at the committee level to ensure the amnesty covers all parties as inclusively as possible. He reassured supporters of his commitment to advocating for a fair process, drawing from his experience in gathering signatures with civil society for constitutional amendments. While acknowledging the challenge of proposing civil society bills, he remains hopeful that such a draft could advance, potentially involving civil society in the committee’s composition.

Mr. Nattapong also addressed the possibility of the amnesty bill reaching the third reading before the House dissolution. He stated he could not support a bill that discriminates and fails to encompass all parties, although he remains hopeful for positive outcomes. The political landscape is uncertain, with the potential dissolution of parliament affecting the bill’s fate. Nonetheless, the People’s Party is poised to propose significant legislation, including a referendum draft motion and the Labor Protection Act, leveraging its 144 votes to champion laws beneficial to the populace.

Mr. Yingcheep Atchanon, iLaw manager and civil society network advocate, criticized the current state of the amnesty bills, arguing against provisions that block certain individuals from receiving amnesty or selectively favor others. He highlighted the harm of granting amnesty for state officials’ abuse of power, which is unrelated to political expression. Without amendments in the second reading, he warned that the bills would likely fail to foster peace, unity, and reconciliation in society, stressing the importance of non-discriminatory legislation.