BANGKOK: Thailand´s parliament passed an amnesty bill on Wednesday benefiting hundreds of activists found guilty over the last 20 years -- but not those sentenced for corruption or violating the royal insult law.
The bill covers members of both the conservative, royalist “Yellow Shirts” and the “Red Shirts” who backed populist former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, rival groups who clashed over two decades.
While most have served their sentences, the amnesty lifts the bar on them holding political office, according to Yutthaporn Issarachai, an analyst from Sukhothai university. It also covers youth protesters involved in the pro-democracy movement in 2020 and 2021.
Yutthaporn told AFP between 1,000 and 2,000 people could benefit, but there were some important exemptions.
“It is the country´s largest amnesty because it covers 20 years,” from January 1, 2005 to July 16, 2025, he said.
Yet it does not cover anyone convicted of breaching Thailand´s extremely strict lese majeste law, which shields the king and his family from criticism.
This means it will not benefit many leaders of the 2020-2021 youth-driven demonstrations calling for monarchy reform.
