By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PEOPLE’S MP PARIT Wacharasindhu today (Dec. 10) endorsed a fresh move of the Pheu Thai to put forward an anti-coup legislation, given a numerical advantage of MPs supposedly in support of it.
The MP of the People’s, the largest in the opposition bloc, insisted that the anti-coup legislation drafted by the Pheu Thai, the largest ruling party under de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, be pushed in the House of Representatives in an unprecedented effort to keep the military top brass who might possibly contemplate a future coup at bay.
Parit was apparently responding to a verbal objection recently raised by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul to the planned anti-coup legislation which would be put forward at parliament by the Pheu Thai.
Anutin, leader of the second largest coalition partner who concurrently performs as deputy prime minister-cum-interior minister, has bluntly concluded that no law could practically preclude any attempted coups from happening at the whims of military commanders at any given time.
But Parit contended that a majority of 290 MPs of the Pheu Thai and People’s combined could cast yea votes for the anti-coup legislation which would undoubtedly sail through and be finally turned into law to the extent that, he said, future coups could probably be averted or rendered to no avail.
The Pheu Thai bill was reported to propose all active soldiers be practically free to deny orders from any superiors who might possibly be involved in an attempted coup without being subsequently held guilty of disciplinary or criminal charges.
The anti-coup bill reportedly proposes an elected prime minister chair the Defence Council in lieu of a defence minister whilst an entire cabinet of ministers be legally empowered to give a final say to annual promotions of army generals, navy admirals and air marshals instead of leaving the sensitive business to the council to make final decisions on it.
The Pheu Thai legislation which might probably be merged with the one earlier drafted by the now-dissolved Move Forward is apparently seeking to curtail the politically-motivated powers of the top brass and to keep them under control of an elected, civilian government.
Both the de facto Pheu Thai boss and his fugitive sister Yingluck Shinawatra were ousted as elected prime ministers in the 2006 and 2014 coups respectively.
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Top and Front Page: People’s MP Parit Wacharasindhu. Photos: Thai Rath
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