Thai PM sets September deadline to decide on role in politics ahead of election

snoop1130 · August 14, 2018

Thai PM sets September deadline to decide on role in politics ahead of election

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha gestures during his visit at Thai Union company in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, March 5, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/Files

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha will announce in September whether he will take part in politics in the run-up to general elections next year, he said on Tuesday.

May next year is the most recent deadline Prayuth's junta has set for an election its critics hope will return Thailand to civilian rule after more than four years of the military government, although it has repeatedly pushed back the timeline.

As army chief, Prayuth, 64, led a 2014 coup that ousted a civilian government to end a prolonged period of sometimes deadly unrest.

But he has shown signs of wanting to stay in power after next year's vote.

"If I will stay on, I will have to look at the law," Prayuth told reporters at Bangkok's Government House.

"In September you will know," he added, but gave no details.

His backers, including some veteran politicians, have made no secret of their support for Prayuth and want him to return as prime minister.

Technically Prayuth cannot stand for election under the constitution, because he would have needed to have resigned from his post since 2017 to do so.

However, he could return as prime minister if a political party nominated him its frontrunner.

The military-backed constitution also offers Prayuth another route.

He could be chosen as an "outside prime minister" if the House of Representatives and the military-appointed upper house Senate nominate him if the winning party's candidate fails to get enough votes.

The junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order, has promised to relax its curbs on political activities before the vote, to allow political parties to complete administrative tasks between September and December.

rkidlad · August 14, 2018

4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

However, he could return as prime minister if a political party nominated him its frontrunner.

The military-backed constitution also offers Prayuth another route

Or, he can do whatever he likes. Not enough people in this country seem to care. Reminds me of frogs being in cold water and then slowly being cooked and boiled to death.

kotsak · August 14, 2018

Get Real · August 14, 2018

22 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha will announce in September whether he will take part in politics in the run-up to general elections next year,

But, can it really be so bad that everybody except him knows the answer to that?

Justgrazing · August 14, 2018

30 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

although it has repeatedly pushed back the timeline.

What a surprise .. pushing back a timeline , where have we heard that before ..

baboon · August 14, 2018

Doesn't matter what he does or does not announce in September. If he doesn't feel like sticking to his word (which is worth precisely nothing), then he won't, end of.

Justgrazing · August 14, 2018

After the visit metal fan P karaoked Sabbath's " Megalomania " to the fawning masses ..

yellowboat · August 14, 2018

58 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

"In September you will know," he added, but gave no details.

Or August. Or January 2014. He is as mysterious as moldy bread

4MyEgo · August 14, 2018

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Technically Prayuth cannot stand for election under the constitution, because he would have needed to have resigned from his post since 2017 to do so.

However, he could return as prime minister if a political party nominated him its frontrunner.

The military-backed constitution also offers Prayuth another route.

He could be chosen as an "outside prime minister" if the House of Representatives and the military-appointed upper house Senate nominate him if the winning party's candidate fails to get enough votes.

Yawn....everybody can see his crystal balls, I mean crystal ball, he is in for the running, yawn.....Zzzzz

baboon · August 14, 2018

27 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

After the visit metal fan P karaoked Sabbath's " Megalomania " to the fawning masses ..

"Obsessed with fantasy, possessed with my schemes
I mixed reality with pseudo-God dreams
The ghost of violence was something I’d seen
I sold my soul to be the human obscene."

Good song choice, however that photo! I am not a violent man, but that look on his face...

chickenslegs · August 14, 2018

Personally, I believe that our beloved PM has his eye on a much more prestigious job, but the current incumbent refuses to die.

thaiguzzi · August 14, 2018

19 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Personally, I believe that our beloved PM has his eye on a much more prestigious job, but the current incumbent refuses to die.

Bit harsh. Harsh but fair...

Justgrazing · August 14, 2018

32 minutes ago, baboon said:

"Obsessed with fantasy, possessed with my schemes
I mixed reality with pseudo-God dreams
The ghost of violence was something I’d seen
I sold my soul to be the human obscene."

Good song choice, however that photo! I am not a violent man, but that look on his face...

T'was Megalomania or " Am I going insane " which coming off the Sabotage album would have kind of appropriate really ..

Artisi · August 14, 2018

30 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Personally, I believe that our beloved PM has his eye on a much more prestigious job, but the current incumbent refuses to die.

For that he might need an invite when there is a vacancy - an invite which may eventuate....

baboon · August 14, 2018

22 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

T'was Megalomania or " Am I going insane " which coming off the Sabotage album would have kind of appropriate really ..

Though he would prefer 'Master of Reality' for obvious reasons...

webfact · August 14, 2018

Prayut coy on his political future … until next month

By WASAMON AUDJARINT,
KAS CHANWANPEN,
NATTAPAT PHROMKAEW
THE NATION

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday reiterated his promise to clarify his political future next month, saying that he first has to decide if he will stay in politics before he announces which party he will choose to join.

The junta leader said he would decide which political party he would join only after deciding whether to remain in politics.

“I told you I still don’t know if I should stay [in politics] or not. I have to see why I should stay,” Prayut said. “More importantly, if people do not vote for the party I join, how can I come [back to politics]?”

When pressed for an answer about his political future, the head of the ruling junta National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said: “You don’t have to ask me today. I will say it myself in September.” He also said that political restrictions would be eased by that time.

When a reporter joked that she would ask him about his decision on the first day of September, he replied: “Whatever day in September. Let’s focus on tackling the country’s problems now.”

During his trip to the United Kingdom in June, Prayut said that he would disclose his decision about his political future in September.

Amid political issues, the NCPO plans to “do political unlocking” by authorising the Election Commission (EC) to start preparing for the next election and keep up with a poll timeline that has been repeatedly delayed.

Prayut said that while the NCPO meeting yesterday did not touch on the election, more clarity should be seen once the MPs election bill and the Senate selection bill are published in the Royal Gazette.

“You will see more political clarity in September. There’s no need to ask me about it now,” he said.

Prayut said the legal process “should head to election” once the MP election bill draft, one of four organic laws that must be passed before holding an election, is published. The election bill, even if published, still needs to wait for another 90 days to come into effect as stipulated by the junta-appointed legislators.

EC president Supachai Somcharoen said earlier that the agency should be able to organise election-related matters during those 90 days to keep up with the election which, according to the charter, must be held within 150 days once all four essential organic laws are in effect.

Concerns about legislative hurdles ahead of the election have also increased as some National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members also planned to propose changes on the already enacted EC law.

The NLA source said on Monday that the proposal might be scrapped following concerns that the amendments would result in the elections being delayed but also less transparency.

Prayut said yesterday that while the amendment proposal is not yet finalised, the new EC board should also be allowed to consider the local election inspectors. The premier’s remarks may imply that more work needs to be done on consideration of the election inspectors, despite being already planned by the current acting EC.

Meanwhile, the junta leader was upset yesterday over a joke video clip that dubs his first single “Return Happiness to Thailand” as a song full of lies.

In the video clip, posted in June by a Facebook user, a boy asks his father: “Which song tells lies in every verse?”

After his father made a few unlucky guesses, the boy started singing the famous “Return Happiness to Thailand” written by Prayut more than four years ago after the 2014 coup. The lyric says: “We will keep our promise. Just give us a little bit more time.”

Government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday that Prayut had expressed concern that some individuals with ill intentions had made such a video to attack the government by accusing it of failing to keep its promises.

“General Prayut assures he is not delaying the election. Everything follows the road map. We all know that soon the organic laws will be promulgated,” Sansern said.

The spokesman went on to say that the PM flagged the video clip for dragging a little kid into politics and making him a political tool.

“General Prayut said that this is not nice at all,” he said. “They are just kids. They deserve to be raised right and taught things good for them.

“We’ve seen this before during the protests that involved the use of war weapons,“ Sansern added. “They brought kids around the bunkers. General Prayut doesn’t want to see that atmosphere anymore. Kids should be safe.”

Sansern also mentioned other clips that showed pedestrians being interviewed about the economic situation. He said Prayut advised people to see the official figures from credible sources that showed improvements. “And General Prayut also wanted everyone to also improve themselves in order to improve the overall quality of life,” Sansern said. “He stressed that this government is trying to provide the equipment for people to fish rather than giving them the fish.”

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30352157

Samui Bodoh · August 14, 2018

I read the words from him, but believe nothing...

"...You don’t have to ask me today. I will say it myself in September.” He also said that political restrictions would be eased by that time..."