PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha staunchly defended his 20-year national strategy plan yesterday and warned that people should not allow politicians to scrap it, even as scholars expressed their fears it could be used to sabotage future governments.

“Today, many parties are saying that when they become the government, they’ll axe the national strategy,” Prayut said. “[That is] axing your own country. Will you people yield to that? You can’t. This is the avenue you must pursue if you want prosperity.”

The junta leader made the remark in a speech “National Strategy: Thai Future Our Future” that he gave to the opening of the National Economic and Social Development Board’s annual meeting at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. The event was attended by more than 2,500 people from various sectors.

Prayut said such grand schemes were present in many countries all over the world. All governments needed to follow them and not deviate from them, he said.

“Whoever becomes the PM must chair the National Strategy Committee and follow it,” Prayut said. “Now, some people just want to be the PM but don’t want to carry out the strategy because it has already framed what the PM has to do.”

The 20-year national strategy has been drafted and passed by entities under the coup-installed regime and is highlighted in the Constitution that obliges future government to adhere to the plans laid out in it. Cabinet members could be impeached if they refuse to comply with it.

Political parties and critics have lamented that the strategy, written with limited public participation, would overrule future elected governments and in part force them to carry out the junta’s legacy.

Prayut, however, has reiterated that the contentious strategy is vital to the country’s future. When he said recently that he was interested in political work, Prayut also brought up the strategy and reforms, saying he wanted the junta’s initiatives to be respected and implemented even after the new government is in place.

According to a Thammasat University political scientist, Attasit Pankaew, the emphasis Prayut is trying to put on the national strategy can be viewed as an approach to assert himself in politics.

“It could be a ploy to maintain his relevance in [post-junta] politics,” he said. “If we see that he’s preparing to become a politician when he said he’s interested in politics, the stress over the national strategy could be his way of campaigning to win voters. Because some people will surely think that [because] Prayut has pushed it forward, he’s the best person to carry it out.”

Attasit was not certain, however, if the national strategy was appealing to the public.

People might be aware of its existence and that it would be the master plan for the country’s development over the next 20 years, but he believed that few people understood its central substance or where exactly it was likely to take the country.

Meanwhile, an economist also said yesterday that he feared the 20-year national strategy being used as a political tool to overthrown future elected governments.

Pipat Luengnaruemitchai, assistant managing director at Phatra Securities, expressed his concern over the national strategy formulated by the junta-backed government.

“Generally, it is all right if we have a long-term plan with no punishment for governments that do not follow the strategy, but the 20-year national strategy has imposed a penalty which could lead to an impeachment of the next election governments,” said Pipat.

Therefore, he warned, the national strategy was rigid and prone to be used as a political tool to overthrow future elected governments. The plan also risked becoming obsolete when conditions changed in the future, he pointed out.

For instance, the current government wants to implement the Eastern Economic Corridor and special economic zones along Thailand’s borders but these projects might prove to be irrelevant in the future, he noted.

Prayut yesterday tried to allay people’s fears, denying that the 20-year plan was rigid and saying that it could be changed. Pipat, however, said the procedure involved in attempting to change the plan was very difficult.

The PM also expressed his optimism that Thailand could get out of its middle-income trap faster than 20 years and he called for people’s co-operation to make that |happen.

For his part, Pipat said it could be done if the country were able to raise its productivity and achieve an annual economic growth rate of 5 per cent, which he believed would pose a serious challenge.

The traditional arch-rivals held their first meetings since the junta eased its political ban that had been in place for almost five years.

Pheu Thai stays firm in its pro-democracy stance and opposition to an outsider prime minister, acting secretary-general Phumtham Wetchayachai said.

The former coalition leader also revealed that he did not, in principle, oppose the idea of joining forces with the Democrats, provided they shared the same democratic values and rejected authoritarianism.

“If [they] stand by democracy and reject General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s return or any PM from the authoritarian side, we can talk about where we will be,” Phumtham said.

However, he said the party fundamentally supported its own candidates to become the next PM, and rejected speculation that Pheu Thai’s Pakhin Polakul had already struck a deal with Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva over who should become premier after the election.

“Our stance is that we have our men who are knowledgeable and capable. We are ready to propose them for the voters to decide,” he said.

There has been talk that Thaksin Shinawatra’s brother-in-law and former PM Somchai Wongsawat will lead Pheu Thai into the upcoming election, but he was nowhere to be seen yesterday.

Phumtham would only say that Somchai remained with the party, but declined to confirm the speculation.

Another potential Pheu Thai leader, former health minister Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, yesterday applied to regain her party membership. Her membership had been cancelled after she was banned from politics for five years in 2008.

Scores of members joined Pheu Thai yesterday as it held its first public meeting since the 2014 coup. The meeting was led by acting leader Viroj Pao-in, Phumtham and its chief lawyer, Chusak Sirinil.

The Democrat Party’s assembly yesterday, meanwhile, was marked by some internal conflict: new leadership challenger Warong Dechgitvigrom showed up as an observer even though he had not yet reapplied for membership that was cancelled when he entered monkhood in 2015.

Although the meeting was presided over by its 13-year leader Abhisit, former MPs who support Warong, including key player Thavorn Seneam, flocked around him throughout the gathering.

Warong is expected to announce his determination to stand in the Democrat leadership |contest today, in his home province of Phitsanulok.

Suraboth Leekpai, the only son of former prime minister Chuan Leekpai was also present yesterday and applied for membership for the first time.

He said he could not be sure whether he would run for an MP’s post, since it was up to the party to decide.

However, he said, he was determined to work for the party in his area of expertise, especially in relating to children and education.

He insisted that Cabinet members also could do the same, as long as it was not illegal, shrugging off criticism that his power could affect the election’s legitimacy.

The remark came in response to news that some Cabinet members might join the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party. The PM said that they were free to do that to help the party and it would not do any harm.

Previous governments had also done similar things, Prayut pointed out, responding to media queries about the appropriateness of such a move as the current Cabinet members had been installed by a coup.

Despite the undemocratic access to power, Prayut said his administration was widely accepted by the international community and questioned whether elected governments had done anything that could match that.

Prayut and some Cabinet members – namely his deputy Somkid Jatusripitak, Commerce Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong, Industry Minister Utama Sawanayon, and a minister attached to the PM’s office – are expected to join Palang Pracharat Party in a bid to return to politics after the election currently scheduled for February 2019.

Although the junta head had initially been coy about entering post-junta politics, he had hinted at an interest in doing so.

But the move stirred up some controversy. After the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Prayut said what he meant by saying he was interested in joining politics was he wanted to see reform and the 20-year national strategy being implemented.

“This doesn’t mean I want to retain power. It’s just that [the reform and the strategy] are addressed in the law. We have to respect it,” the PM said.

Asked whether he was concerned that there could be conflict with politicians, Prayut said he was not afraid.

“I’ve been fighting and been with them for four years already,” he said.

Prayut said he would have to study the new laws to see if it was possible for him to join politics before he makes a decision.

So far, he has not been approached by any party, and he remains undecided if he will accept an invitation, he added.

However, questions have been raised over the appropriateness of such a move. Critics as well as politicians have expressed similar concerns that the election might not be free and fair if members of the ruling junta become players. They might have the upper hand over other competitors who are restricted by several extraordinary rules and laws.

Meanwhile Rangsiman Rome, a key leader of the pro-democracy force demanding an election, said Prayut’s current move only called into question his neutrality.

“The NCPO has promoted itself as a moderator and regulator. But now that its leader is showing interest in politics, we have to question if it’s losing the claimed neutrality. Will it be fair to other political parties?” Rangsiman said.

Fairness is most important, the activist stressed.

If Prayut wants to join politics, Rangsiman said the junta head needs to make sure no individuals or groups have privileges over others. Also, Prayut has to be fair to voters who are now only seeing political campaigns mostly from the pro-junta groups, not others, he added.

His deputy Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that Prayut is not required by law to step down as leader of the ruling junta regardless of criticism.

“It’s the prime minister’s personal matter. It’s not strange for someone to be interested in politics. He does not need to resign as prime minister.

“And the law does not require General Prayut to resign as the NCPO leader if he wants to enter politics,” Wissanu said at Government House. The deputy PM declined to answer a question whether he would join a future administration headed by Prayut if approached.

Wissanu, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs, was responding to calls from critics for the prime minister to also leave his position as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) now that he had hinted at a plan to enter politics ahead of the national election.

Prayut said on Monday that he was “interested in political work” and hinted at becoming a prime ministerial candidate for a political party that he had yet to identify.

“It’s the prime minister’s personal matter. Nothing is strange for someone to be interested in politics. He does not need to resign as the prime minister. And the law does not require General Prayut to resign as the NCPO leader if he wants to enter politics,” Wissanu said at Government House.

The deputy PM declined to answer a question on whether he would join a future administration headed by Prayut if approached to do so.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as leader of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), issued an order on Tuesday to replace the current mayor, Anan Charoenchasri, with Sontaya.

Sontaya is replacing the mayor whom Prayut had only appointed in February.

The order said there was a need for a new Pattaya mayor “with high potential as well as required experience, knowledge and capability” in managing the city’s roles involving the government’s Eastern Economic Corridor development project.

Published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, the NCPO order said the appointment had immediate effect.

Under the current Constitution effective since last year, Prayut has retained unrestricted powers under Article 44 of the post-2014 coup interim charter over all branches of government.

Sontaya was also empowered by the order to appoint no more than four deputies.

The order said he would serve in the new position until the yet-to-be-scheduled election of Pattaya’s mayor, or until there was a new NCPO order regarding the local administration of the eastern-seaboard resort-city.

“In case he sees fit, the prime minister may propose the National Council for Peace and Order to make changes to this order,” the document stated.

In April, Sontaya was appointed an adviser to the prime minister on political affairs.

The PM at that time said he needed someone to advise him on political matters.

It is unclear whether Sontaya retains his position as a PM adviser on political affairs following his appointment as the new Pattaya mayor.

Sontaya, leader of the Phalang Chon Party that is popular in Chon Buri, is a former minister of culture and of tourism and sports.

His party was part of the pre-coup coalition government led by the Pheu Thai Party’s Yingluck Shinawatra.

The Cabinet in April also appointed Sontaya’s younger brother Ittipol as an adviser to the tourism and sports minister.

Ittipol served as an elected mayor of Pattaya for two terms between May 2008 and June 2016.

Before his appointment in February, outgoing mayor Anan, a retired police major-general, served as the vice chairman of Pattaya Council.

However, Prayut has remained tight-lipped as to which political party he is going to join and run as its PM candidate, though observers and the media have pointed to a new outfit called Palang Pracharat. The party plans to nominate Prayut as its PM candidate and certain government figures are expected to join it.

Critics say preparations have been made for Prayut’s comeback as prime minister, including favourable new laws and regulations, along with recent political moves.

He has been under pressure to reveal his plans, but it has been a dilemma for him. Staying silent about his political future will see him being pestered by the media and critics, while making his political plans clear risks attacks from politicians who see him as their rival.

The pressure on him will only increase.

Another question has emerged as to whether the former Army chief should step down as NCPO leader. His continued tenure could be seen as being more advantageous versus other competitors, as the junta leader has unrestricted power over all branches of government. When asked about it by a Government House reporter yesterday, he responded with a clear “No”.

He is aware of the negative impacts, but he has no choice. Prayut had earlier refused to answer reporter’s questions about his political future, saying that if he clarified it early, he risked getting attacked early.

And that appeared to have come true yesterday, as politicians started aiming their attacks at him.

Korkaew Pikulthong, a Pheu Thai Party politician and key red-shirt leader, yesterday called on Prayut to come to power through election the next time.

“That way is dignified,” he said, obviously referring to the fact that Prayut took power through a military coup.

“General Prayut has all the power mechanisms in his hands and has an advantage over all the political parties. So it is not difficult for him to enter politics,” he said.

Governing as an elected prime minister is another matter. Korkaew noted that Prayut would no longer have post-coup power, but would instead face scrutiny by the parliamentary opposition and the media.

Watana Muangsook, another key Pheu Thai figure, said yesterday that Prayut had an advantage over fellow politicians by refusing to step down as NCPO leader, while prohibiting political parties from campaigning.

“I am not surprised with what he said. He has made it clear from the beginning that he wants to be in power, but is afraid of contesting an election,” Watana wrote on Facebook.

Prayut was not alone yesterday. PM’s Office Minister Kobsak Pootrakool said he has developed an interest in politics after having worked in the government over the past few years.

“I am happy we have been able to help people. In the future, we may continue offering benefits to the people,” he said yesterday.

Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana yesterday also voiced his interest in politics. He said he was weighing his opportunity to continue his political work.

Uttama and Kobsak are expected to take key positions in the pro-Prayut Palang Pracharat Party, which is scheduled to convene its general meeting this Saturday.

The picture will be clear when the party selects its executive members and announces its election plan.

The challenge against incumbent party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who has held the post for 13 years, is backed by members of the former People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), including figures such as Thavorn Seneam.

While the nomination suggests conflicts in the Democrat Party – the country’s oldest political party and recognised for being a strong institution – Warong said in a Facebook post that his supporters aimed to strengthen the party, make it great again and win the election.

“There’s no hidden agenda or any outside influence at work here,” he said, apparently in reference of allegations that the PDRC was seeking control to secure parliamentary seats in the next election.

Before Warong’s name came up as a challenger to Abhisit, news circulated that Suthep Thaugsuban’s Pacific City Club and Akanat Phromphan’s home were being used as war rooms as a decision was being made about challenging Abhisit.

Warong, however, rejected this, saying that the plan was mostly made at Thavorn’s home, which is not far from the Democrat headquarters. Both Warong and Thavorn had been active members of the now-defunct PDRC, which ousted former PM Yingluck Shinawatra’s government in 2014. Warong also led the exposing of irregularities in the Yingluck government’s rice-pledging scheme.

The Democrat Party is expected to choose a new leader by November following the promulgation of new organic laws, which require parties to set out regulations and choose new executives before launching their election campaigns.

“Four years of repairs, four years of construction” was the catchy tagline of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party in 2005 when Thaksin Shinawatra was running for his second term as prime minister. The phrase became the centre of attention last week when it featured in a political campaign run by an Army Facebook page.

“Four years of repairs, four years of construction,” the post published on Tuesday read, with two hashtags in Thai and English #ReformTogether.

It went viral on the Internet quickly after Thaksin’s son, Panthongtae Shinawatra, re-posted it on Twitter, asking sarcastically if his father had bought the Army’s Facebook page, a jibe at critics who accuse his father of using money to buy political support.

Other online satirical pages were quick to catch up and poke fun at the junta.

A Pheu Thai member, Anudith Nakornthap, said the incident only reflected Thai Rak Thai’s success and the confidence it was able to create among the public. The anti-Thaksin camp was now emulating the tagline, he said.

This is not the first time the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has been called copycats. Staff deployment as well as government policies of the Prayut administration have also been seen to be similar to what Thaksin’s camp did during its time in power.

Comparison with Thaksin’s actions

Like Thaksin, Prayut also named Somkid Jatusripitak as deputy premier to oversee economic affairs. The Pracharat scheme covering housing for low-income earners and village funds are seen as rehashes of similar endeavours by Thaksin.

Despite efforts by the regime to erase the legacy of Thaksin and his parties, it has only succeeded in drawing more comparisons with its arch-rivals. Even worse, junta chief Prayut has been accused of plagiarism in the way he seems to mimic Thaksin – an ousted and yet still popular leader among large swaths of the population.

A poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration and released yesterday showed that the Thaksin-linked Pheu Thai Party remained the clear favourite to win the next general election, with 28.8 per cent of respondents backing it. The pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party was left behind with 20.3-per-cent backing.

Although Prayut was named the most popular candidate for post-election premier in the poll, with 20.7 per cent of the people surveyed, his popularity has been in continuous decline, from 38.6 per cent in March to 32.2 in May and 31.3 in July.

Political critic Sirote Klampaiboon reasoned that the junta’s much-criticised campaign slogan might have been created due to the impression that the junta had similar accomplishments to those of Thai Rak Thai and Pheu Thai, and hence it could ride the same bandwagon to success.

Sirote said it was hard to explain how the junta campaign could have adopted the same phrase as Thai Rak Thai used. He said the mistake shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

What’s more important than the tagline is the government “achievements” cited, the critic stressed.

“It’s not so straightforward,” he said. “They are trying to show that Prayut has solved many problems. But, in fact, those problems arose because of the rights violations under this regime. And yes, Prayut had to fix them, but it’s nothing they should be proud about.”

He added that the campaign offered only scant details about the measures and actions that solved immediate problems. However, people were looking for vision and policies to solve deeper issues such as poverty, he said.

“The key point is it wasn’t the campaign that gave Thaksin’s party a big edge. It’s about vision and confidence. People were confident that Thaksin had the vision and would be able to deliver what he promised,” Sirote said. “Prayut just doesn’t have that. No vision is seen in this campaign.”

Thailand has some of the harshest lese majeste legislation in the world.

The law, known as Article 112, carries a maximum sentence of 15 years per count and trials are often held behind closed doors.

But the six people were acquitted on appeal earlier this week after being arrested in 2017 for allegedly vandalising ceremonial arches bearing pictures of members of the Royal Family in the Northeast province of Khon Kaen. They said they had been hired to do the job.

Initially convicted in January, they still face jail terms of three to nine years on charges of criminal association and burning the property of others, according to the Lawyers for Human Rights.

The court ruling on the royal insult charge said the defendants’ actions were aimed at causing damage to the arches only, the rights group said.

While lese majeste cases shot up under the ruling junta, convictions have declined in recent months, suggesting a change in attitude towards the strict defamation law.

“The prosecution of 112 cases has been very low this year, to the point that it’s nearly non-existent,” Pawinee Chumsri, a lawyer for the rights group that represented the defendants, said.

She added that verdicts now tend towards acquittals or charges that carry lesser jail time.

“It’s somewhat good progress to see 112 cases are not easily prosecuted,” she said.

Yingcheep Atchanont, from the legal monitoring group iLaw, said there have been four acquittals this year and no new cases.

Analysts said the law could be wielded differently under the reign of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne in 2016 after the passing of his much-beloved father King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Sulak Sivaraksa, a historian who faced the charge after questioning accounts of an ancient elephant battle involving monarchs, said it was the new king’s “grace” that led to prosecutors declining to pursue the case further.

But many are still serving time or in self-exile after being accused of the offence.

In August 2017 a prominent student activist was jailed for two and a half years for sharing a BBC Thai-language profile of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Facebook.