Thai House passes controversial amnesty bill

BANGKOK, November 1 (TNA) - The Thai House of Representatives has passed the amnesty bill in its second and third readings, amid a mass street rally against the government-sponsored bill, led by the main opposition Democrat Party, whose MPs all walked out before the final vote. The Lower House passed the controversial amnesty bill with the final vote of 310:0, four abstentions, on early Friday morning, at 4.25am, after a 19-hour debate. A highlight but most controversy of the amnesty bill, which has caused the Democrat Party-led demonstration in Bangkok by groups of protesters, is Section 3, which grants amnesty for all people involving in political rallies, expressions and conflicts, as well as accused wrongdoers, organizations set up after Thailand's coup d’etat on September 19, 2006 and and organizations related to political incidents from January 1, 2004 to August 8, 2013. Those benefiting from the seven-session amnesty bill include exiled ex-Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and members of the September-2006 military coup, which toppled the six-year Thaksin-elected administration, but excepting those accused under Section 112 of Thailand's Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law. Earlier, amnesty bills granted only limited pardon, excluding Thaksin and other senior political leaders. Siripong Hantrakul, Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, under the Thai Ministry of Interior, has sent a letter to authorities of all Thai districts, seeking their cooperation to raise billboards with similar messages to support the amnesty bill for the sake of national reconciliation. Meanwhile, the protesters against the amnesty bill have stayed overnight and continued their mass rally near the Samsen train station in Bangkok, also near the Democraty Party's head office. (TNA)