1-8-2023 (BANGKOK) Srettha Thavisin, the prime ministerial candidate for Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party, announced on Tuesday that he would not seek to abolish or amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law, if he is nominated as prime minister by the parliament.
“Pheu Thai has made it clear that the law will not be amended or abolished. If we want to see the country move forward and a new government successfully set up, the Section 112 issue must be set aside,” he said.
Srettha made this statement after some senators expressed doubts about his position on Section 112. The senators alleged that Srettha had said the law should be amended during an interview before the May 14 general election.
“In the interview, Mr Srettha said clearly the issue must be handled properly during the next parliamentary vote for prime minister. He admitted Section 112 is the main stumbling block. He said if Pheu Thai is given a chance to nominate a candidate for the position, the party must not touch Section 112 or it would not get support from the Senate and many other political parties,” said Linthiporn Warinvacharoj, a Pheu Thai list MP and acting party spokeswoman.
Srettha emphasized that the issues of the economy and the people’s livelihoods are most important, and that the focus should be on ensuring that the people have enough to eat and that the economy improves.
Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has tentatively scheduled August 4 for parliament to meet again in a joint session to vote on the nomination of a prime minister.
The Pheu Thai Party is expected to issue a statement reiterating its standpoint of not amending or abolishing Section 112. A source close to Srettha said that the property tycoon never had it in mind to amend or do away with Section 112 and that he had opted for a neutral stance during the election campaign.
