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Amnesty law for political cases takes effect tomorrow

12 Sept 00:37Key points summarised by AI

The "Peaceful Society Promotion Act," an amnesty law, is officially enacted tomorrow after its publication in the Royal Gazette.
This Act grants amnesty to individuals convicted, on trial, prosecuted, or charged with political offenses between January 1, 2005, and July 16, 2023.
The law specifically covers political offenses arising from street protests or the expression of political views over the two-decade period.
Crucially, the Act excludes cases involving corruption, malfeasance, lese majeste (Section 112), or other criminal offenses resulting in death or serious injury.
It encompasses participants from various past protest movements, including the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy, the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (red-shirts), and the People's Democratic Reform Committee.

Today 14:41Key points summarised by AI

Move Forward MP Chaiwat Sathawornwichit claims the government overestimates the digital wallet scheme's economic benefits, arguing its implementation is ill-timed during an expanding economy.
Chaiwat disputes the government's projected fiscal multiplier, asserting it will be a mere 0.2% rather than the claimed three-fold increase, referencing similar ineffective schemes abroad.
He attributes Thailand's economic slowdown to a 10-month decline in exports, primarily due to China's contraction, suggesting the digital wallet is not the appropriate solution.
The MP criticizes the scheme's restrictive 4km spending radius, predicting funds will primarily benefit large corporations over local SMEs and divert resources from other crucial projects.