Thai gov't to discuss possible amnesty for "red-shirts"

The Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) on Tuesday afternoon was going to discuss about amnesty for "red-shirts" protesters charged with minor offences, Deputy Prime Minister Step Thaugsuban said.

The planned amnesty, however, will certainly not be valid for terrorists in connection with the recent anti-government rallies, according to the Thai News Agency (TNA).

Initially, the planned amnesty will be valid for "red-shirts," who break the state of emergency law and are convicted with a 2- year-jail term and 40,000 baht (1,233.8 U.S. dollars) penalty, said Thawil Pliansi, secretary general of the National Security Council (NSC).

Earlier, the Nation online quoted acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn as saying that the Prime Minister will have a final say on whether to grant the amnesty to the "red shirts."

"At the moment, the government has not drawn any conclusion on the amnesty issue," Panitan said.

The death toll from a series of violent clashes between the " red-shirts" protesters and troops during March 12 to May 19 in central Bangkok stood at 88 while 1,885 others were wounded.

Source: Xinhua