The proposed amnesty for people charged and prosecuted in political cases is a delicate issue and bringing it up for discussion now would be premature, according to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin.
He was referring to a fresh attempt by the New Palang Dhamma Party (NPDP) to push a bill to grant amnesties to people charged and prosecuted in political cases from 2006 until now.
Mr Somsak said he feared discussion of the amnesty move when the end of the government's tenure is fast approaching would likely lead to unnecessary conflicts among the coalition partners.
The parties should either support or oppose the issue as part of their election manifesto and let the public decide whether they agree with the respective party's stance, which would be reflected in the outcome of the election, he said.
NPDP leader and list-MP Rawee Machamadon recently made a post on his Facebook page stating that his party's push to propose an amnesty bill had drawn mixed responses.
The bill aims to secure amnesties for convicts in politically related cases, as well as criminal and civil cases, from Sept 19, 2006, until Nov 30 of this year, but it would not cover those found guilty of graft or other forms of corruption; serious criminal offences such as the shooting of state officials; or violations of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, otherwise known as the lese majeste law.
The Pheu Thai Party, a key supporter of the bill, insisted that it was not trying to secure amnesties for former prime ministers Thaksin Shinawatra or Yingluck Shinawatra, said Mr Rawee. Thaksin went into self-imposed exile in 2008 before his conviction by the Supreme Court in the Ratchadaphisek land case.
Dr Rawee said, "Passing this amnesty bill will be the government's concrete way of expressing its sincerity in its pledged commitment to foster national reconciliation."
