Senate panel backs amnesty for ‘reckless, impulsive' youth

Bangkok Post

23-07-2025

A Senate committee is backing an amnesty for young people who may have committed political offences out of recklessness or impulsiveness according to a spokesman.
The Senate Committee on Political Development, Public Participation, Human Rights, Liberties and Consumer Protection convened on Tuesday to review four amnesty bills, three of which are also before a House committee.
The House on July 16 passed three amnesty bills out of the five under consideration during first reading. The three bills that passed came from the United Thai Nation, Khru Thai and Bhumjaithai parties.
The bills that did not pass were proposed by the People's Party and a civil society group backed by 36,723 signatories.
The Senate committee, however, invited all five sponsors to give more details about their bills. Four showed up but Bhumjaithai was not represented, said Senator Pornchai Wiriyalert, the committee spokesman.
He said the committee aimed to assess whether the bills could lead to national reconciliation after two decades of political conflict, while also addressing growing public criticism.
Sen Pornchai said the four amnesty bills can be categorised into two types. The first type clearly specifies which offences would be covered by the amnesty. This approach allows for swift adoption, as those found guilty under the defined offences would automatically receive amnesty once the laws are passed.
However, it is viewed by many as potentially unjust, as it could be seen as favouring one side over the other.
The second type does not pre-define offences but instead proposes a review committee to evaluate individual cases. While this allows for more thorough and case-by-case consideration, it may result in lengthy deliberations, he said.
Sen Pornchai said some bills propose granting an amnesty for serious criminal offences, such as terrorism, treason (Section 113 of the Criminal Code), illegal arms possession (Section 114), or arson, while excluding those charged under Section 112 (the lese-majeste law), which carries penalties of three to 15 years in prison.
He added many of these Section 112 cases involve non-violent online activities, such as posting or sharing content on Facebook, with some offenders receiving prison terms exceeding 20 years.
The committee said that if Section 112 offences were politically motivated rather than intended to cause unrest, they should be eligible for an amnesty.
As the proposed bills include the formation of committees to evaluate cases, the Senate committee also urged that these bodies be inclusive and not dominated by any single political side.