Next week's joint House session does not plan to discuss waiving Puea Thai MP Jatuporn Prompan's parliamentary immunity for leading the red shirt protests which disintegrated into riots during last week's Songkran.
Jatuporn Prompan
Government chief whip Chinavorn Boonyakiat said the issue is not on the agenda of the Wednesday session.
Mr Jatuporn and other key United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders face arrest warrants for encouraging protesters to raid government offices, block traffic, illegal assembly and violating the state of emergency by rioting in Bangkok during the Songkran festival.
Mr Chinavorn said members of the coalition have yet to discuss their stand on the Jatuporn immunity issue.However, he urged Mr Jatuporn to show responsibility as an MP by surrendering to police instead of seeking to exercise parliamentary immunity.
The government chief whip lashed out at Mr Jatuporn for challenging Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to propose in parliament that his parliamentary immunity be waived.
He said the UDD leader was putting on a show of self-aggrandisement.
Mr Jatuporn yesterday denied he had sought parliamentary immunity to shield himself from legal proceedings, but insisted he was entitled to immunity in line with the constitution.
He said no parliamentary approval was required and cited the case of Democrat party-list MP Somkiart Pongpaibul, a key member of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who enjoyed immunity as an MP when he and other PAD leaders faced charges of inciting unrest and illegal assembly last year. Three UDD leaders - Veera Musikhapong, Natthawut Saikua and Weng Tojirakarn - surrendered to police after the red shirts decided to call off their protest at Government House last Tuesday. The three were denied bail.
Mr Jatuporn and another co-leader Jakrapob Penkair have not turned themselves in to police.
Mr Jatuporn said that Mr Jakrapob could not do so as he was too busy explaining the Songkran unrest to the foreign media.
And he asked why was Mr Jakrapob being asked to surrender when the PAD leaders also failed to do so after they were charged.
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