Thailand’s Senate will reject a proposed amnesty law for political offences when it reaches the Upper House next week, the Bangkok Post quoted Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanich as saying during a press briefing on November 5.

The Speaker said many senators have already agreed that they will not vote for the bill in the first reading.
Meanwhile, a number of senators have pledged that the senate will carefully consider the bill to ensure the interest of the nation and the people.

Following street protests on November 4 after the amnesty bill was approved by the Lower House, hundreds of businesses and organisations also submitted petitions to the Upper House asking to drop the bill.

Earlier, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) also announced that it opposes the bill due to concerns over bad precedents and injustice and divisiveness in society.

NACC insists that the amnesty law will work against United Nations’ Convention on anti-corruption to which Thailand is a member as well as international and domestic efforts to combat corruption.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on November 5 called on the senators to consider the bill in a spirit of reconciliation and clemency to unite the country.-VNA