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The anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship’s (UDD) campaign for a royal pardon for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has caused concerns for the Thai Government and the general public. The Government has responded to the UDD’s campaign by proactively informing the public of regulations and procedures of a royal pardon.
Earlier this week, the Faculties of Law and Political Science of Chulalongkorn University arranged a debate to clarify laws and regulations on the petitioning of a royal pardon. The debate was attended by academics and highly-respected figures from various occupations. Secretary-general to the Education Council, Associate Professor Thongthong Chantharangsu, said during the debate that there were 2 types of civil petitions submitted to His Majesty the King - the petitions for a royal pardon and the complaint petitions. Civil petitions have bound Thai Kings and their subjects since the Sukhothai era. However, the academic said a royal pardon could not overrule a court’s verdict.
The professor further explained that those who petitioned for a royal pardon must do good deeds for the country in the past or currently suffer from illnesses or hardships. The Department of Corrections will gather all petitions of prisoners and submit them to the Ministry of Justice for consideration and comment. The ministry will then submit the petitions to His Majesty the King who will decide whether to grant a royal pardon. The Bureau of the Royal Household will return all petitions to the ministry each time a new justice minister is appointed for the re-evaluation of the petitions.
Apart from a royal pardon for a criminal, people who receive disciplinary and civil punishments can also petition for a royal pardon. But a royal pardon does not take place easily as His Majesty the King is a constitutional monarch who has limited powers.
Assoc Prof Thongthong remarked that political problems must be solved by political methods, not by the monarch’s powers. He urged those seeking a royal pardon to exercise their discretion and try to leave the monarchy out of their problems. He also encouraged all Thai people to take the matter seriously into consideration as it might lead to other problems in Thai society.
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