Thais Celebrate Premier’s Resignation : Politics: But many demand lifting of royal amnesty that protects him and military chiefs from prosecution.

Jubilant Thais celebrated the resignation of the nation’s prime minister Sunday, but many demanded the cancellation of a royal amnesty that protects him and military leaders from prosecution for the deaths of unarmed demonstrators.

Suchinda Kraprayoon, the former armed forces commander, went on national television at noon Sunday and said he is resigning to “show my political responsibility” for last week’s violence during pro-democracy demonstrations.

In a stunning reversal of fortune, Suchinda was forced from office after only seven weeks on the job. He had been the target of pro-democracy forces because he was appointed prime minister and had never participated in an election.

Thai political sources believe that Suchinda made a royal amnesty a condition of his stepping down without a fight. But on Sunday, opposition groups indicated that they would begin a campaign in Parliament today to block the amnesty.

In a rare display of disagreement with Thailand’s monarch, who issued the amnesty decree, the head of the opposition Democratic Party, Chuan Leekpai, said he wants to submit the decree to a constitutional tribunal to determine whether it is valid.

According to constitutional scholars, the royal decree can be sent to the tribunal with only a one-fifth vote of both the lower and upper houses of Parliament, suggesting that the opposition should be able to force reconsideration of the amnesty.

The document clears everyone involved in last week’s demonstrations, from protesters to the military top brass who ordered soldiers to open fire on them last Sunday night, an action that touched off the worst political violence in the country in 20 years.

In Washington, the State Department had a low-key response to Suchinda’s resignation, saying: “We hope that this . . . development will enhance the prospect for a productive dialogue and peaceful outcome.”

According to government figures, at least 40 people were killed and hundreds wounded. But unofficial tallies released Sunday by a coalition of groups showed that at least 343 people are still missing.

The Law Society of Thailand on Sunday issued a statement saying that the amnesty decree was “not justified.” It said it was unnecessary for demonstrators who protested peacefully since they broke no laws.

“The decree has been issued not in good faith but there was a disguised intention to pardon the persons who used deadly weapons to kill people, including the persons who gave the order to kill,” the Law Society said.

Kaewan Atipo, who heads a group called Academics for Democracy, told a television interviewer that “the soldiers who were given orders might receive an amnesty, but not those who gave the orders.”

Despite Suchinda’s meek resignation, Bangkok was still jittery with talk of a possible coup if the military hierarchy is accused in the deaths of the demonstrators. Chamlong Srimuang, leader of the pro-democracy movement, remained in hiding Sunday out of fears for his life, according to a spokesman at his house.

At the capital’s Democracy Monument, a sense of jubilation mixed with sadness appeared to be the general mood in the wake of the announcement that Suchinda had resigned. Many people stopped on the street and simply clapped their hands when the news spread.

“It’s a good thing because he’s a tyrant,” said Chutchai Heranyaleka, who works for the city’s bus system. “Suchinda’s the one who ordered all those people killed. But I don’t think we’ve heard an end to it.”

Times staff writer Robin Wright in Washington contributed to this report.