A total of 270 MPs have voted against the inclusion of lese majeste in the new political amnesty bill, disappointing advocates of the proposal. In contrast, 152 lawmakers supported the initiative during the vote on Thursday.
The amnesty bill, which was under consideration by a special House committee, aimed to address various forms of amnesty. Despite the rejection of the lese majeste provision, the committee’s report was largely endorsed by the House, outlining potential pathways for reconciliation.
Ex-leader of the now-defunct Move Forward Party, Chaithawat Tulathon, who serves on the committee, expressed his frustrations regarding the decision. He noted that the failure to advance the lese majeste issue means it will not be sent to the cabinet for further consideration.
This outcome potentially indicates that the government may not introduce its version of an amnesty bill, which could hinder efforts to alleviate political tensions, according to Mr. Chaithawat. He also mentioned that the ruling Pheu Thai Party might not propose any amnesty measure before the current session concludes on October 30.
Despite this setback, Mr. Chaithawat and other opposition MPs remain hopeful that alternative versions of the amnesty proposal will be presented. The People’s Party has advocated for amnesty for individuals convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, although members of the government coalition remain opposed.
The People’s Party’s amnesty bill is one of four related proposals currently in the House, with the remaining three backed by civil groups, the United Thai Nation Party, and the Khru Thai Party.
According to United Thai Nation member Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, since 2005, there have been 57,966 cases related to political offenses, with 1,206 connected to lese majeste violations.
