Thai coup leader says disbarred politicians could receive amnesty

Thailand's military government could propose an amnesty to allow politicians from former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party to return to public office, the powerful army commander said yesterday.

Army Commander General Sonthi Boonyaratglin - who led a coup against Thaksin last September - made the suggestion less than 48 hours after a court ordered the Thai Rak Thai party dissolved its 111 executives barred from public office for five years.

Sonthi was speaking on government-owned television Channel 11.

Earlier Friday, interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont announced that an eight-month ban on political activities would soon be lifted so parties can prepare for elections.

The Constitutional Tribunal said Wednesday that Thai Rak Thai had violated election law in campaigning for the general election held in April last year.

The tribunal's ruling came ahead of a new election which is tentatively planned for December, but Sonthi also indicated it could be brought forward.

Speaking on the same interview program, a member of the state Election Commission, Sodsri Satayatham, said the verdict that barred the Thai Rak Thai executives was final and could not be reversed by the courts.

However, she said the ban could be lifted by a Cabinet decree that is also approved by the National Legislative Assembly - the interim Parliament installed after last year's coup.

"There is no dead-end in politics," she said.

Sodsri said elections can be held as early as late October, but more likely in November.

Agreeing that amnesty was an option, Sonthi said that "I can approve of it because I think about national reconciliation." He agreed as well that an earlier election date was possible.

"Most of these 111 people weren't involved with what happened," he said.

Sonthi heads the Council for National Security, which comprises the top military leadership who staged last year's coup. Although the coup-makers appointed an interim civilian government and legislature, they retain ultimate authority over the country's administration, with veto power over many matters.

The court ruling Wednesday, while not totally unexpected, raised the prospect that the next election would be seen as unfair and could cause divisiveness that might lead to violence. Thai Rak Thai remains very popular among Thailand's rural majority, who delivered the party huge electoral victories.

The country's second biggest party, the Democrat Party, also faced electoral law charges, but was exonerated.

Chaturon Chaisaeng, who took over as Thai Rak Thai party leader when Thaksin stepped down after the coup, said he was not surprised by Sonthi's proposition.

"What happened was heavily criticized by academics ... next Wednesday, when they show what the minority judges said and why they disagreed with the ruling, there will be even more dissent," he told The Associated Press.

Chaturon, who challenged the legitimacy of the court proceedings because they took place under rules set by the coup makers, said the party would not apply for an amnesty, adding that the group is considering other legal options.

The current ban on political activities, which included a prohibition on all campaigning and meetings, was slapped on all political parties following last September's bloodless military coup against Thaksin, who had been accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Prime Minister Surayud told reporters he hoped he could announce the lifting of the ban in one or two weeks, after some details have been worked out. He did not elaborate.

"Since the trial of political parties is over, it is about time to relax on political activities," Surayud said, reaffirming that elections will take place in December at the latest.

After the ban on political activity is lifted, Thai Rak Thai members not excluded for five years will be able to register a new party. Politicians across the board will be free to switch party affiliations or form new parties.