Amnesty for Thai Protesters in Civil Conflict: The Role of Legislation in Fostering Social Reconciliation

Abstract

Due to past political conflicts and the widespread illegal actions taken by protestors, various political parties and civil society groups have sought to propose an Amnesty Bill for parliamentary consideration. The underlying expectation is that the legislative’s role in advancing amnesty legislation could contribute to resolving both past and potential future political conflicts.

In this context, this study employs secondary data and applies qualitative content analysis to parliamentary debate transcripts directly related to the promotion of amnesty legislation. The research findings indicate that the statements made by Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding the Amnesty Bill reflect six core conceptual framings: (1) references to past legal precedents to affirm the feasibility of enacting an amnesty law; (2) construction of a social narrative framing protest actions as legitimate political expression in accordance with democratic principles, rather than as criminal offenses; (3) criticism of previous administrations and the judicial system, depicting them as authoritarian regimes whose actions triggered the protests; (4) invocation of potential future conflict to justify preventive legislation; (5) promotion of amnesty as a means of forgiveness and societal reconciliation; and (6) alignment of amnesty discourse with international human rights norms.

These findings suggest that the push for amnesty may not be entirely motivated by a genuine commitment to societal forgiveness for past transgressions. Rather, it may serve as a strategic effort to reinforce political party bases. Consequently, there is a pressing need to reassess the attitudes and positions of legislators and stakeholders within the geopolitical context of this conflict. Efforts must be made to foster understanding, overcome political biases, and promote tolerance toward opposing political stances. Only under these conditions can the Amnesty Bill for protesters meaningfully contribute to building a more reconciled and harmonious Thai society.