No New Government In The Next Few Days

[Jai Dee]

CDRM will not appoint a civilian government in the next few days as widely speculated

The Council of Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) denies rumours that it will appoint a civilian prime minister over the next few days.

CDRM spokesman Palangkun Klaharn (พลางกูร กล้าหาญ) said CDRM will follow its schedule to set up the interim government in two weeks as earlier announced.

Lt. Gen. Palangkun asked the media to make sure their reports are always accurate to prevent them causing confusion to the public.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 September 2006

[Jai Dee]

Gen. Boonsrang says it would take few days for the selection process of new PM

The Council of Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) is currently searching for appropriate person to take the post of premiership.

Deputy Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niampradit(บุญสร้าง เนียมประดิษฐ์) spoke about the selection process for the new Prime Minister of CDRM. He said CDRM is working on the selection process. According to recent reports, there are 3-4 suitable individuals for such post.

He stated that CDRM is considering on the qualifications of each candidate.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 September 2006

[Jai Dee]

Thai junta to work alongside new PM: coup leader

Thailand's ruling junta will remain in place after the appointment of a civilian prime minister to ensure there is no abuse o fpower by the new government, the coup leader told AFP on Tuesday.

"It's necessary to keep the council so that there is no loophole for the executive branch," General Sonthi Boonyaratglin told AFP in a telephone interview.

Sonthi, who seized power from prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last week, said the junta would be transformed into a council of security ministers after he names a prime minister later this week.

"Both the interim prime minister and the interim constitution will be ready in a day or two. Everything will proceed according to the original schedule," Sonthitold AFP.

Shortly after Sonthi ousted Thaksin in a late night coup on September 19, he vowed to create a new constitution and name a new civilian prime minister within two weeks.

He also promised to hold new elections in October 2007.

Source: The Nation - 26 September 2006

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

Everything back to normal soon !

[Jai Dee]

CDRM requests people not to believe rumors

The Council of Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) has asked the general public not to believe the rumors relating to the current situation in Thailand.

CDRM Spokesman Palangoon Klaharn (พลางกูร กล้าหาญ) has requested all units and people to stop disseminating such rumors and asked everyone to regard peace of the country as the foremost interest. He said that administrative units will check the spreading rumors, and they will then clarify the facts to the public.

However, the CDRM Spokesman has admitted that the ongoing rumors have caused disruptions in the country, and therefore, he has urged people to use their discretion in considering the news.

He has also demanded the public to listen to the news from reliable sources rather than criticizing on those rumors.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 September 2006

[Jai Dee]

Supachai 'to discuss terms' for PM's post

Former WTO chief has tentatively accepted invitation to lead an interim government

Supachai Panitchpakdi has tentatively accepted the ruling military council's invitation to become Thailand's interim prime minister, high-placed sources said yesterday.

Dr Supachai's agreement came after Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and former National Security Council secretary-general Prasong Soonsiri helped persuade him to accept the post, a council source said.

The news was confirmed last night by a person close to Supachai, who is secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and former director-general of the World Trade Organisation.

He was reportedly due to return to Bangkok last night to hold talks with CDRM leaders.

"The Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy has picked Supachai for his capability to salvage the country's sagging economy and remedy its image, tarnished by the coup," the source said.

"There is nothing for Supachai to lose working as caretaker prime minister for one year," the source said. "This can even be another top honour for him after his record as WTO chief."

Supachai has three years remaining in his term as UNCTAD secretary-general.

Another source said that Prem approached Supachai himself, seeing him as the most suitable choice to be interim premier. The two had good relations since Supachai served as president of the Thai Military Bank, the source noted.

"Supachai was well accepted and respected among the armed forces, partly thanks to his service at the military bank," the source said.

Meanwhile, the junta secretary said yesterday the ruling military council would become the protector of the interim government once the new prime minister is announced next week.

The CDRM will be renamed the Council of National Security (CNS), General Winai Phattiyakul said.

"We will not be the prime minister's boss and the prime minister will not be our boss, either," Winai said.

General Winai briefed the Bangkok-based diplomats yesterday on the timeline towards democracy, together with Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn.

The CNS, expected to be officially announced at the end of this week, would assist the new government in overseeing the country, to sustain economic and social stability in order to accomplish the junta's mission, Winai said.

The CNS would not be directly related to the current National Security Council, which oversees routine security matters. Winai is its secretary general.

The military leaders have finished drafting an interim charter, which will come into force by the end of this week as the legal platform for running the Kingdom during the transition period. The entire process of democratisation following last week's coup d'etat would take a total of eight months and 15 days, Winai said.

The interim prime minister, whom the junta judges capable of maintaining economic development and international recognition, as well as helping to process the drafting of a new constitution for political reform, would be named by early next week, he said.

Winai said he had no idea who was on the short-list to become the next prime minister but said the person would be honest, courageous and well respected.

After the interim charter comes into force next week, the junta will select about 250 people to be members of the legislature, he said.

Later, the junta will open a people's assembly with 2,000 representatives from various sectors, professions and regions who will be asked to elect 200 constitution drafters from their number. The drafters will have six months to write the text and two-and-a-half months more for screening, reading by the CNS, and a public referendum to endorse the new constitution.

A total of 87 diplomats attended yesterday's briefing. They represented 65 countries and 14 international organisations. Their questions mainly concerned the well-being of detained former ministers from the Thaksin administration and details of the timeline.

Krit said the junta begged the diplomats for a better understanding of its need to seize power.

"For those who see [only the] dark side of the coup, we beg them to have an open mind to see the situation and to revise their opinion, if many things improve," Krit said the diplomats were told.

Meanwhile, a source said the next task for the military chiefs would be to look for evidence linking Thaksin to alleged tainting of the monarchy.

Junta leader, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, called on Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda yesterday, and they discussed candidates to be interim premier, and the annual military transfers.

Sonthi said in a telephone interview afterwards that Prem advised the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) to select the interim PM carefully and to ensure fairness in the military transfers.

"He said the next prime minister should be a good and honest person who will truly serve the country. And the transfers of military officials and civil servants must be fair," Sonthi said. "I told him that we [the CDRM] will ensure peace for the country and fairness to all."

Sonthi's heavily-guarded motorcade arrived at Prem's Si Sao Thewet residence at about 3pm.

Source: The Nation - 26 September 2006