Thailand opposition opposes amnesty bill

Thai opposition Democrat Party has declared its determination to oppose the controversial amnesty bill under parliamentary procedure. Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday declared his determination to oppose the amnesty bill believed to whitewash embattled ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and other political offenders. The government-sponsored amnesty bill sailed through the first reading in the Lower House on Thursday, pending a seven-day scrutiny in the second reading by a 35-member committee. Abhisit, a member of the scrutiny committee, said he would closely monitor the atmosphere in the scrutiny process, warning that any attempt to abruptly wrap up deliberations in the second reading would be unethical and unconstitutional. He added that the party will work hard in publicizing about the draft bill and gathering opinion from people who oppose the bill. The amnesty bill is designed to give pardon to those involved in political unrest since the 2006 military coup which deposed former Thai premier Thaksin from power, and culminated in 2010 army crackdown which led to the death of nearly 100 people and injuries of about 2,000 others. The bill opponent alleged that the proposed bill had been terminally designed to pardon Thaksin, who has remained in self-imposed exile overseas for the past seven years.