One of the four bills in contention was drafted by 2006 coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, while other similar ones were drafted by Pheu Thai MPs.
According to Pheu Thai supporters, the bills were aimed at solving longstanding conflicts in the country through the concept of 'metta' – love, kindness, and forgiving.
However, on June 1, the Constitution Court has ordered parliament to suspend its vetting of the charter amendment bill, pending a review of its constitutionality.
The bills and the order from the Constitution Court have sparked two contrary opinions across the country, with both supporters and opponents of the bills demonstrating in public.
The President of the Phuket Guard Group, Lertpong Tansowat, said today that the local march was an expression of the group’s opposition to the bills.
“The bills will help aid the rise of [the exiled former Prime Minister] Thaksin and his supporters. We don’t want anymore conflict in the country,” said Mr Lertpong.
The groups announced during the march that they would take action if the House of Parliament doesn’t stop pushing the reconciliation bills.
They also demanded that the government not amend any clauses in the current constitution, especially Section 112 of the Criminal Code known as the lese majesty law, last altered in 2007 following the coup of the previous year.
In addition, they said they wanted 'Red Shirt's to respect the decision of the Constitution Court.
“It’s reached a point where we can’t keep quiet anymore,” said Mr Lertpong. “We have to show people’s power to protect the country.”
The march including the burning of a mock-up models of Mr Thaksin and Genral Sonthi at Sapan Hin, and a model of a red house symbolising a group of red-shirts.
About 30 representatives of the Phuket Red-shirt showed up at Phuket Provincial on Friday (June 8) to show their support for the bills
They handed a letter to a Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Preechasil, stating that they would encourage Phuket people to petition for removing seven members of the Constitution Court, who decided to order parliament to suspend the amendment of the bills.