[sigrekatonov]

http://nationmultimedia.com/politics...-30170289.html

Justice minister rules out Thaksin pardon
The Nation November 21, 2011 6:09 am
Justice minister rules out Thaksin pardon
Says corruption cases, those who have not served jail time excluded from draft decree

Justice Minister Pracha Promnok insisted yesterday that former prime minister Thaksin Shina-watra would not benefit from the draft Royal Decree seeking pardons for inmates on the occasion of His Majesty the King's birthday.

"Thaksin will not receive any benefit from the decree, and his name will not be included on the list of convicts eligible for a royal pardon," Pracha said.

"Convicts on the run will not be eligible."

Pracha told a press conference that the draft Royal Decree for 2012 used the same wording as the 2011 decree enacted under the Democrat Party's then justice minister Piraphan Saliratwipak.

Pracha said he approved the drafting of the Royal Decree on condition that it is based on the same criteria as the 2011 decree.

"The new draft will not benefit anyone in particular, especially Thaksin, because those who are eligible for a royal pardon must have served [a portion of] their jail terms first," Pracha said.

Pracha added that convicts in corruption cases will not be eligible for a royal pardon.

Thaksin yesterday wrote an open letter to Thais saying he is ready to make a sacrifice, but a yellow-shirt leader noted that Thaksin did not say he would forfeit the right to receive a royal pardon.

Thaksin wrote the open letter amid growing opposition to the draft Royal Decree, which was approved by the Cabinet and was earlier reported to be designed to allow

the fugitive ex-premier to receive a royal pardon without him having to serve any part of his sentence.

"I support all measures that will lead to national reconciliation and do not want to see any attempt that will sour the atmosphere, and I am prepared to sacrifice my personal happiness even though I have not received justice during the last five years," Thaksin wrote.

Before Pracha ruled out a pardon for Thaksin, Suriyasai Katasila, a co-ordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), posted messages on his Twitter page drawing attention to the fact that Thaksin did not say he would be among the 26,000 convicts to be pardoned.

Suriyasai predicted that if Thaksin's name was on the list of pardoned convicts, Thaksin would claim it was the result of a government decision and royal power, and had nothing to do with him.

Suriyasai said Thaksin had indicated he would not accept his conviction and jail sentence, and has been manoeuvring against serving it.

The PAD co-ordinator claimed that while Thaksin had urged all groups to "forgive and forget", he himself was unwilling to let go of his political power and had urged his supporters to hold rallies to fight for him.

After learning of Pracha's press conference, Suriyasai said the PAD had cancelled its plan to hold a rally in front of the Office of the Council of State from 10am to 6pm today.

Meanwhile, General Somjet Boonthanom, an appointed senator and a leader of the Siam Samakkhi group, said he would gather signatures of senators to oppose the decree's enactment. The signatures would be submitted to the Privy Council and His Majesty's principal private secretary.

Somjet said senators in his group would also ask the Senate Speaker tomorrow to initiate an impeachment procedure against the Cabinet, and that his group would hold a rally against the enactment of the decree at Lumpini Park on Friday.

Tul Sitthisomwong, a co-ordinator of the so-called multicoloured group, said yesterday the group would today submit a list of 14,000 signatures to the Privy Council opposing the enactment of a decree to help Thaksin.