WITH THE Constitutional Court due to give its verdict on suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s eight years in power maximumly provided by law next Friday September 30, Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn today (Sept. 30) urged activists to not make any moves on that day, Matichon newspaper said.
The charter’s clauses stipulate that one may run the country as head of government for no longer than eight years either in consecutive or non-consecutive fashion and his or her tenure may be legally retroactive.
On August 24, 2014, Prayut was named under a royal command as head of a military-installed government following a coup which he himself had orchestrated as army chief on May 22 that year.
However pro-Prayut lawmakers and others have contended that the unelected premier’s eight-year tenure may only have begun in 2017, the year in which the constitution was promulgated or even in 2019, the year in which he was named head of the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government following a previous general election.
Chaiwut, a Palang Pracharath party-list MP. said it would be bad and worrisome if activists take action on that day and it should be avoided to prevent the country from plunging into chaos and confrontation erupting to the point of injury.
Right now people are suffering from floods and various other problems while the government is working on moving the country forward, he said, adding that they should stay calm because general election is due in a few months’ time.
He warned that a lot of action on their part right now could lead to election not taking place at all.
Chaiwut also said that Palang Pracharath Party is prepared for the verdict and will respect it no matter what the outcome may be and will continue working for the people.
Asked what he thinks the verdict would be including whether his party would support caretaker Prime Minister -cum-Palang Pracharth Party leader Prawit Wongsuwan to continue helming the government, Chaiwut simply replied that he did not know as this had not be discussed and they were waiting for the verdict.
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Top: Protest against suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on the night of August 23. 2022 at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s open ground near Democracy Monument. Photo: Matichon
Front Page: Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn. Photo: Matichon
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