Abhisit said he does not see how Thaksin qualifies for the amnesty intended specifically for political protest cases, emphasizing that if the process is improper, it will be investigated.
On 1 Nov 2026, Abhisit Vejjajiva, party-list MP and leader of the Democrat Party, was interviewed about rumors of a secret deal between former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and conditions for amnesty in exchange for supporting the government in a confidence vote. He said, "Personally, I think the amnesty law passed by parliament has clear criteria aimed at granting amnesty to political protesters to restore peace. Therefore, I do not see how Thaksin’s case fits these criteria. Ultimately, it is up to the Peace Promotion Committee’s decision, but they must follow legal principles. Whatever their ruling, it must have a legal basis. If the committee acts improperly, they will face problems themselves."
When asked whether this news signals anything, Abhisit said, "I don't know, but I understand that those with pending cases might want to use this amnesty channel. However, when the law passed parliament, we saw it primarily as amnesty for political protesters."
No-confidence vote trading unrelated to opposition
Asked whether the issue of vote trading linked to the no-confidence debate would affect the opposition or Democrat Party's stance, Abhisit said, "It’s unrelated because the news concerns negotiations between Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai parties, not the opposition." When pressed on what the Democrat Party would do if this occurred, he said, "Anything improper, we must investigate."