Uproar in the House

The topic was reconciliation but the reality was confrontation as a joint parliamentary meeting debated whether to move on the controversial KPI report.

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MPs and senators surround Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, chairman of the House committee on national reconciliation, during a parliamentary debate Tuesday. Gen Sonthi is under pressure to explain the legitimacy of a reconciliation report by the King Prajadhipok’s Institute.

KPI report priority sees House in uproar

Aekarach Sattaburuth
Mongkol Bangprapa

A joint parliamentary meeting was thrown into uproar yesterday after a Pheu Thai MP asked that a national reconciliation report be placed for urgent consideration.

The proposal drew a fierce protest from the opposition Democrat Party, which argued the report was incomplete and questioned its legitimacy.

Pheu Thai MP for Nan, Cholnan Srikaew, asked the joint meeting to vote to consider the reconciliation report by the King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) before other issues.

The report was fifth on the agenda for the joint session.

The report was commissioned by the House committee on national reconciliation chaired by 2006 coup-maker Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin.

However, Democrat MP for Phatthalung Nipit Intarasombat said the report was still incomplete and the committee had differing views on it.

Mr Nipit said there were other more pressing issues and the report did not warrant urgent consideration, insisting the committee should pull the report back for review.

Democrats on the panel Tuesday officially handed in resignation letters to Gen Sonthi in protest at his move to quickly submit the report for parliamentary consideration.

Gen Sonthi said the resignations would not cause any problems as the panel had finished its work.

Democrat MP for Phitsanulok Warong Dejkijwikrom told the session his party supported reconciliation but opposed any moves to whitewash offenders.

Mr Warong also lashed out at Gen Sonthi, who was present at the meeting. He said Gen Sonthi was once the engineer of the 2006 coup, but now the report he had submitted was triggering divisions.

Mr Warong's criticism prompted protests from Pheu Thai MPs who leapt to the defence of Gen Sonthi.

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranond then asked the meeting to vote whether to move the KPI report to the top of the agenda.

This sparked noisy protests from the Democrats who shouted that the report was illegitimate.

At the same time, Bhumjaithai MPs led by Supachai Jaisamut walked out of the chamber.

Mr Supachai said the group was unhappy with the atmosphere.

The joint parliamentary meeting eventually voted 348 in favour of placing the report at the top of the agenda.

A total of 163 members voted against the motion.

Parliament is likely to consider the committee's comments on the report next week.

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senator – a member of the Senate ฒิสมาชิก
surround – to be everywhere around something/someone ล้อมรอบ
chairman – the person in charge of a committee, a company, etc  ประธาน
reconciliation – the process of creating a new and friendly relationship again with someone you argued with or fought with การปรองดอง
debate – a discussion in which people or groups state different opinions about a subject การอภิปราย, การโต้วาที
pressure – trying to make someone do something by forcing, threatening, or persuading them in a determined way ความกดดัน,  การบีบบังคับ
legitimacy – the fact that something is legal or fair and reasonable ถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย  ชอบด้วยกฎหมาย
priority – something important that must be done first or which needs more attention than something else การมาก่อน
uproar – angry public criticism of something ความเอะอะ, ความวุ่นวาย
joint – done together; belonging to or shared between two or more people ที่ร่วมกัน, ความร่วมมือกัน
urgent – needing to be dealt with immediately ที่เร่งด่วน
consideration – giving careful thought to something before making a decision การคิดพิจารณา
proposal – a plan or suggestion for a group to consider ข้อเสนอ
fierce – very strong รุนแรง, ดุเดือด
protest – to make a strong complaint or disagreement ประท้วง
opposition – of a political party that is not part of the government ฝ่ายค้าน  
issue – matter; a subject that people discuss or argue about  ประเด็น
agenda – a list of things that people will discuss at a meeting  ระเบียบวาระ
session – a formal meeting of an institution such as a parliament or a court การประชุม
commission – to officially ask for a piece of work to be done มอบหมายให้ทำ
coup (d’etat) – the seizure of power in a country by a group of people, usually members of the armed forces รัฐประหาร
pressing – needing to be dealt with immediately รีบด่วน
warrant – to be/make necessary or appropriate in a particular situation มีเหตุผลอันสมควร
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
panel – a group of people who make decisions or judgments คณะกรรมการ
resignation – the act of leaving a job, position of power, etc., permanently การลาออกจากตำแหน่ง
submit – to formally give something to someone so that can make a decision about it ยื่น (เอกสาร) เพื่อการพิจารณา
whitewash – to try to stop people from discovering the true facts about something, in order to prevent someone in authority from being criticised ปกปิดสิ่งไม่ดี
offender – a person who is guilty of a crime ผู้กระทำความผิด
lash out – to criticise someone or something angrily  ประนามอย่างรุนแรง
engineer – a person who arranges for something to happen, especially in a skilful way ผู้วางแผน
trigger – to cause ก่อให้เกิด กระตุ้น
division – a disagreement between people, especially between people who belong to the same group การแตกร้าว, การแบ่งแยก
criticism – comments that show that you think something is wrong or bad การวิจารณ์
prompt – to cause someone to take action กระตุ้น
leap – to move or do something suddenly and quickly ดำเนินการอย่างรวดเร็ว,  เคลื่อนไหวอย่างรวดเร็ว
defence – something you say to support someone or something that is being criticised การปกป้อง
House Speaker – the person who is in charge of most of the activities of the House of Representatives ประธานสภาผู้แทนราษฎร
spark – to make something happen ก่อให้เกิด
illegitimate – not allowed by the rules or laws ผิดทำนองคลองธรรม,ผิดหลักการ, ผิดกฎหมาย
chamber – a room used for the particular purpose ห้อง, ห้องผู้พิพากษา, ห้องสำนักงานทนายความ
atmosphere – the mood or feeling that exists in a place บรรยากาศ
eventually – at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
motion – a formal proposal that people discuss and then vote on in a meeting or debate ญัตติ, ข้อเสนอเพื่อการอภิปรายในที่ประชุม