Sasinan revealed that the People's Party has established a task force to monitor the amnesty process and help citizens protect their rights before the 31 January 2027 deadline, while urging the government to urgently resolve three key issues to ensure no one is left behind—namely decision-making authority, record expungement, and fingerprint removal.
On 9 November 2026, Ms. Sasinan Thamnitinan, Bangkok MP for District 11 from the People's Party, addressed issues regarding the enforcement of the Promotion of Peaceful Society Act B.E. 2569 (2026). She noted that although the law has been in effect since 24 August 2026, over the past two months many citizens with qualifying cases for amnesty have yet to truly benefit as intended by the law.
Ms. Sasinan revealed a recent case on 21 October when the South Bangkok Criminal Court dismissed an amnesty petition in a contempt of court case. The court exercised its discretion to rule that the defendant’s actions "were not those of a political protester or politically motivated expression," without providing reasoning, despite the offense clearly being listed in the Act’s annex. She proposed three urgent points to relevant agencies: First, the authority to decide if a case qualifies for amnesty lies with the Committee for the Promotion of Peaceful Society, not the court or prosecutors, since under the law’s structure, the Committee is legally empowered to determine eligibility, and its decisions are final and binding on all state agencies. For offenses listed in the annex and not exempted, the law mandates investigation and prosecution be ceased and the court ordered to remove the case from the docket. The Supreme Court’s directive on 10 September 2026 also set a precedent for courts to immediately dismiss cases if facts are clear.
Therefore, the South Bangkok Criminal Court’s self-determination that the act lacked political motivation and subsequent dismissal of the petition contradicts the law’s intent and structure. If facts are unclear, proper procedure requires referring the matter to the Committee for the Promotion of Peaceful Society for adjudication, rather than outright rejecting petitions initially and forcing appeals, during which some defendants remain imprisoned. She thus suggested the Committee issue a circular to the Attorney General and Supreme Court President to ensure unified understanding and consistent practice across all courts.
Ms. Sasinan also pointed out the second issue of record and fingerprint expungement as a government responsibility that should not be shifted to citizens. Section 8 of the Act clearly states that those granted amnesty are considered never convicted, and their criminal records must be erased by responsible agencies. The law assigns this duty to the government and security agencies—not to the public.
However, in practice, individuals whose cases are dismissed by the court still must personally visit the Criminal Records Registration Division of the Royal Thai Police to request fingerprint record removal. This causes inconvenience, consumes time, and incurs costs, especially for citizens in provinces. Unless the system automatically erases records, the amnesty law’s effect remains incomplete, as these records continue to impact employment and official dealings. She called on the Royal Thai Police and the Committee to establish linked data systems to automatically erase criminal records as soon as a court issues a case dismissal order.
Ms. Sasinan warned that citizens have until 31 January 2027 to submit petitions to the Committee—less than three months remaining. Without proactive government publicity, many unaware of their rights may miss this opportunity. She urged the government to use all channels—mainstream media, online platforms, courts, prosecutors, and police stations—to promote awareness. Those wishing to apply can do so by: (1) submitting in person at the Joint Service Center, Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister, Government Complex (former Ministry of Finance building); (2) mailing to P.O. Box 1111, Government House Post Office 10302 without postage; or (3) emailing saraban@opm.go.th. Required documents include the application form from the Office of the Prime Minister website, ID card, charge notification, complaint and judgment (if any), and proof of political protest or expression.
Ms. Sasinan concluded that the People's Party has set up an “Amnesty Monitoring Task Force” as an additional channel to advise citizens, verify case eligibility, and assist in preparing petition documents before the deadline. She emphasized that this amnesty law will not take effect automatically; if the government does not ensure access to rights, interpret the law according to its intent, and reduce unnecessary procedures, then this law aimed at restoring peace and justice to society will only be half successful.