Controversial Thai Amnesty Upheld
A government tribunal on Monday upheld an amnesty for military leaders and pro-democracy protesters involved in a violent demonstration in May. The new Parliament had rejected the decree last month.
The ruling by the Constitution Tribunal is final and means that neither criminal nor civil charges can be lodged, said the tribunal’s chairman, Marut Bunnag, who also is speaker of the House of Representatives.
The thousands of protesters were marching through Bangkok’s streets demanding the ouster of then-Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon because he was not an elected member of Parliament. Troops fired on them, killing more than 40 people.
Suchinda resigned, but first he issued an executive decree granting amnesty to all involved in the violence--including senior military commanders and himself as well as protest leaders.
The House of Representatives elected in September rejected the decree, and the government of new Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai sought to resolve the issue by asking the tribunal for a ruling.
Marut said the 10-member panel voted 6-2 in favor of upholding the amnesty. Two members were absent.
He told a radio reporter he was disappointed by the ruling, and protest organizers denounced it.
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