General Paiboon confirmed that the regime is easing its hold to get the country ready for a return to democracy in the wake of the junta-backed government’s latest move to curb the use of the military court.

“Don’t forget, he is a militarist. We are taught to prepare. General Prayut isn’t just seeing himself as ruling for another year, but he is paving the way for an election,” Paiboon said in an exclusive interview.

“When at war, we see how long we have to last. But while preparing, we also need to be sure of the context and ensure that the surroundings allow us to do that, otherwise we’ll lose.”

Paiboon, a key figure in the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), was speaking to Nation TV’s Primetime about the junta’s current moves in its final year before packing up after the next election expected in late 2017 or early 2018.

Since the military took power in 2014, the NCPO has adopted repressive measures to ensure its smooth rule in a divided country. But as the regime is preparing to exit next year after the draft constitution passed a referendum last month, the ruling power is allowing rival factions more room to express themselves.

“The PM has said he saw the people’s satisfaction [in the referendum results], So, the next situation is how we can move forward,” Paiboon said. “From now on, we will see the picture emerge on campaigns and the election. We have to prepare now because it cannot be done in a day or two.”

After being in power for over two years and seeing the popularity it gained from the people, Paiboon said the NCPO would not let the country slide back to the state of conflict seen in the past decade.

However, he was also aware that with the possibility of Prayut continuing as PM, the members of Parliament would want to play a bargaining game. Paiboon said he believed the people liked the NCPO’s working style enough that it would have the upper hand.

The general said that recent opinion polls showed that Prayut was popular among the people and they wanted him to stay on. He asked rhetorically: “Could this be a proof of the people’s satisfaction with the NCPO’s working style?”

Most importantly, he said the people in last month’s referendum had backed the new constitution and the additional question that allowed the NCPO’s handpicked Senate to join MPs in choosing the next PM, paving the way for an outsider PM.

Paiboon said Prayut, considering the tremendous support he enjoyed, had to finish what he had started otherwise all the same old problems would resurface.

Asked whether people trusted by the NCPO or Prayut would be placed in the next government to continue the work, Paiboon said: “Of course. It doesn’t have to be Prayut but anyone we can trust, anyone who shares the same ideas as us.”

Reacting to criticism of such moves as the regime’s attempt to retain power, he insisted that the NCPO must respond to the people’s demand. “If they like what the NCPO has done, then we have to go on with it,” he said. “You can call it controlling or retaining power. I’m not going to argue with you.”

The national strategy and the reform plans would be the legacy of the NCPO, which the next government must take up, he said, adding the NCPO-selected Senate would play a vital role in this.

“Frankly speaking, [the Senate] would help sustain this plan during the five-year transition period. Any political parties that want to be in the government must be aware of this,” the general said.

Currently organic laws are being written following the public’s nod for the draft charter. Paiboon said he had no worries as the people had already made the decision. He added that the NCPO’s achievements were already proved.

“The people accepted the additional question [in the referendum], though many were against it. Where does that come from? It comes from people’s satisfaction with the PM. We have to accept that,” the general said.

“Let’s see the final result of the organic laws. It would be in line with the constitution, nothing more or less. I have no worries about anything. We will only focus on the remaining time that we, the NCPO, have to continue working as we promised on May 22, 2014,” Paiboon said.