Thai PM says approval of reconciliation bill up to House

BANGKOK, May 26 (TNA) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Saturday that it is up to majority of members of the House of Representatives to decide on a reconciliation bill, aimed at reducing social divisiveness in the country following the September 2006 bloodless coup. Speaking to journalists before her departure for an official visit to Australia, Yingluck said her ruling Pheu Thai Party has still not made any conclusion on the bill and she is happy that the bill is submitted by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, leader of Mathubhum Party, for a debate in the Lower House. General Sonthi was the army chief and led the military coup which toppled the then elected government of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, elder brother of Yingluck. Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol has said that the bill is considered as an “urgent agenda” for the House sessions next Wednesday and Thursday. However, it depends on a vote by legislators to debate on the bill of which the major opposition claims that it would benefit Thaksin, now in self-imposed exile in overseas. Thaksin was sentenced in absentia to two years imprisonment after he was found guilty of helping his former wife buying prime land in Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek area while he was in power. Yingluck said her government has the duty to prevent fresh conflict from reoccurring in the country, solving economic problems and reduce social divisiveness. The government cannot solve the problems alone and has to depend on cooperation from every party which includes political parties, the people and the business sector, she said. When asked that the bill, if approved, would help the ousted, fugitive prime minister, Yingluck said she has yet to study details of the bill and believed that majority of people would agree with the bill if it benefits people involved in unlawful political activities. (TNA)