Call to open House to students

KAMNOON URGES SAFETY VALVE AS PROTESTS BUILD

>>House speaker Chuan Leekpai should lead members of parliament in helping students put forward their demands in an extraordinary parliamentary session, Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said.

Mr Kamnoon made the suggestion yesterday as a way of easing protest pressure, in common with Palang Pracharath MPs who want to have the young rally-goers air their views in parliament, scheduled to resume in late May.

The last parliamentary session ended on Friday, culminating with the censure debate.

However, in a Facebook post yesterday, Mr Kamnoon said “it will be too late” if the MPs wait until May, adding the House speaker should consider opening a special parliamentary session to give youngsters a new channel to voice their dissatisfaction with the Prayut government.

“Both representatives and senators should join hands to support the move,” he said.

Secondary and university students across the nation held rallies after the Constitutional Court dissolved the Future Forward Party (FFP) over a 191.2-million baht loan it took from its former leader and MP Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.

FFP supporters believe the party was not treated fairly, while former party executives — who have been banned from politics for 10 years — vowed to continue their political activities outside parliament.

The students’ protests, which also coincided with the four-day no-confidence debate, are feared to escalate and end in violence.

“No matter how severe a [political] conflict it will be, historically it should end at the negotiating table,” Mr Kamnoon wrote.

He wants all parties to talk and come up with “general principles” for living in harmony in 180 days.

Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan said he agreed that protesting students should be allowed to push forward their demands through parliament, though he admitted they also have the right to express their opinions publicly.

“I believe students can decide by themselves what they should or should not do,” he said.

As for health-related concerns, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that with Covid-19, this may not be the right time to hold mass rallies.

“As a public health minister, I have to raise a warning,” he said. “A gathering of many people will increase the risk of an outbreak”, if someone in the crowd is already infected.

He also said Thailand’s medical facilities were too limited to take care of a large number of patients.