Responding to a suggestion by politicians that Prayut should run for election, Prawit said the premier had said he would not enter politics, but might if circumstances proved compelling. It was a personal matter and up to him, the deputy PM said.

Prayut would know what’s best for him when the time came, he said.

Prawit said he had no idea if he he would support Prayut, his junior classmate at military school, if the latter chose to seek election.

However, Prayut said it was still far too soon to say if he would run in the upcoming election.

Prayut said he would not change anything to please political figures in particular, including the recently passed 20-year national strategy bill.

“I’ll also preside over the national strategy committee,” the premier said, referring to the panel that will have the power to monitor if future governments abide by the long-term strategy.

“If they understand the strategy then it’s fine. But there may be concern that they do something beyond what the strategy says. They may cite public needs to do so or want the country to return to problems and Thai people to suffer again?” he added.

Prawit, meanwhile, insisted that he would not enter politics or help run the next government.

“If an elected government is formed, the National Council for Peace and Order would be dissolved,” he said, adding that the road map to an election remained the same.

Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said constant resignations of some of the National Steering Reform Assembly (NRSA) members to set up or join political parties should not have a negative effect on the government.

Wissanu said there was speculation that some of the junta-appointed NRSA members would set up a party to support Prayut to resume his premiership in an election.

The deputy, said this should be no problem as long as the government itself is not involved.

“The NRSA is going to be dissolved late next month. There is no problem for them to support anyone [in the election],” he said.