FORMER Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, who is in Udon Thani to support People’s Party candidate in a local election, said he accepts de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra’s challenge to repeal outdated laws instead of proposing new ones while urging Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to set up a committee to screen lawsuits filed under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law, Thai Rath newspaper said this evening (Nov. 15).
Pita was replying to a message on this issue that Thaksin had told Udon Thani people to convey to him while likewise visiting the Northeastern province to support Pheu Thai’s candidate running for Nayok Or Bor Jor or head of the provincial administration.
Pita mentioned that when Pheu Thai, Thai Sang Thai and Move Forward had agreed to form a coalition government after last year’s election there was already a discussion about these outdated laws. People’s Party, which is a new guise of Move Forward after it was dissolved by court, had drafted new laws to repeal some old laws including one to dissolve the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).
On Thaksin advising Progressive Movement Chairman Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit to not touch the structure, Pita said the context is not clear enough for him to express an opinion. While he had not listened to Thaksin’s interview he understood that he referred to Section 112, of which he himself is a victim, with the problem lying with the enforcement.
“If I am not mistaken, the meaning is that it would be beneficial if a committee to screen lawsuits and decide whether or not to sue be set up because the laws are dependent on implementation.
“So set it up right away, over a year has passed (since the election) so set it up, if the law cannot be amended and we cannot get 100% as intended at least if it is 50% that’s better than nothing at all.
“If you think of starting from here, I would like Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to set up a committee to screen the enforcement of Section 112 so that people will stop maliciously suing each other.
“But if after that there are still problems then it would be time to fix it according to the framework that the Constitutional Court has allowed.” Pita said.
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Former Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat in Udon Thani. Photo above: Thai Rath, below and Front Page: Naewna
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