Yutthaphon revealed that Pakorn signed the declaration for the Committee to Promote a Peaceful Society, opening channels and methods for submitting amnesty requests in cases of rejection or ambiguity by state agencies. He confirmed continuing according to the 180-day framework, with the second meeting scheduled for October. This is seen as the starting point for building a reconciled and harmonious society, with spokespersons Wuttisan, Kanaphon, and Thicha joining the team.
On 28 Sep 2026, Associate Professor Dr. Yutthaphon Isarachai, a political science scholar at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University and member of the Committee to Promote a Peaceful Society, revealed progress on the committee’s work. On 24 Sep, Mr. Pakorn Nilprapan, Deputy Prime Minister and chair of the committee, signed the declaration outlining channels and procedures for submitting amnesty requests related to the process. The declaration has been circulated to relevant agencies and made public, enabling those wishing to submit requests to do so. If agencies comply with the 2026 Act to Promote a Peaceful Society, submission is unnecessary. Requests arise only if state agencies reject or cause uncertainty. It is expected that such cases will be few, as most agencies are aware of this declaration. The law requires immediate amnesty.
Associate Professor Dr. Yutthaphon said that two subcommittees have been established: one for screening submitted cases and another for public communications and dissemination. Both subcommittees include members of the main committee and representatives from relevant ministries, departments, and agencies.
He added that so far, the committee secretariat has not reported how many cases or issues have been submitted, so the exact numbers are unknown. It is understood that the secretariat will compile information and convene the screening subcommittee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice. It is expected that the number will be small, since most government agencies are aware of the declaration and the 2026 Act’s provision for immediate amnesty from the law’s effective date on 24 Aug 2026. Therefore, few cases are expected to reach the committee.
Associate Professor Dr. Yutthaphon said the second meeting of the Committee to Promote a Peaceful Society is scheduled for October, with the exact date not yet set. Discussions will focus on clarifying figures, as the previous meeting noted unclear numbers regarding how many people benefit from this law. During the law’s drafting, numbers from various agencies never matched. Next month, the secretariat—led by the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office—will gather and verify data for clearer assessment.
This will summarize total numbers to show how many benefit from the law, but these figures do not affect individual rights. Some may worry that amnesty depends on collected numbers, which is incorrect, as benefits have applied since 24 Aug 2026. The numbers serve only as information to understand the situation, since the committee must prepare a report as mandated by law.
When asked if further actions are needed after the committee completes amnesty proceedings, Associate Professor Dr. Yutthaphon said the law clearly requires amnesty completion within 180 days, by 20 Mar 2027. If tasks are unfinished, extensions of 90 days each are allowed, up to two times. In total, the maximum duration is 360 days, or nearly one year. After that, this committee’s mandate ends by law, with particular focus on completing amnesty promptly.
He added that the law is not the end of conflict resolution but a starting point for building a reconciled and harmonious society. Conflicts cannot be fully resolved by this law alone. It is also acknowledged that some groups are not covered by the law’s scope, so ongoing listening is necessary. During the law’s drafting, he proposed public communication to create reports assessing the situation for parliament, government, and public dissemination. These reports form a foundation for future amnesty or related processes, indicating this law and committee are not the final step but the beginning toward societal reconciliation.
Additionally, a directive was issued to appoint spokespersons for the committee./Four spokespersons were appointed: himself, Mr. Wuttisan Tanchai, Mr. Kanaphon Janhom, and Ms. Thicha Na Nakorn.
