The prime minister was reluctant to say whether he would become an ‘outsider’ premier after the election, as allowed under the current charter’s mechanisms.

“I actually want [parties] to propose the names of others before coming to me. Don’t centre on me,” he said.

With more assemblies pressing the junta to hold an election without further delay, Prayut threatened to continue tracking whether those involved had any connections with political parties.

“This would affect such parties in the future. We won’t obstruct anything, but they should also understand that we have a clear election time line already,” he said, adding “I don’t think their intention is entirely pure.”

Peerasak Hinmuangkhao was the first person to apply for an Election Commission (EC) post in the second round, despite his failure the first time around.

The selection committee last time picked five candidates to propose for endorsement by the National Legislative Assembly.

Along with another two candidates picked by the Supreme Court, seven names in total were submitted to the NLA.

However, legislators voted to shoot down all seven on the list, prompting a new round of selection, which would take another 90 days.

Selection panel member Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said on Monday that there was nothing untoward about any of the five failed candidates that had been put forward by the committee filing an application again.

Pornpetch, who is also NLA president, declined to comment however on the other two candidates from the Supreme Court, who have also reapplied for places on the EC.

That was the court’s business, he stressed.

He added that if the five selection-panel candidates failed again this time around, the committee may have to vote to invite other people to sit on the EC, but this would be for a consensus of the committee to decide.

They seem to be buoyed by the region’s votes against the junta-backed constitutional draft in the 2016 referendum, according to political observers, who said that many votes would come from people who dislike the junta.

And the new electoral system, in which “every vote counts”, should help them gain more MP seats than in previous elections, the observers added.

Najmuddeen Uma, a former Matubhum Party MP for Narathiwat, said the group was in the process of compiling a list of at least 500 co-founders for the new party, as required by law. Their new party would be registered under the name “Pracha Chat”, which literally means “nation”, he said.

The politician said a recent survey of more than 1,000 local residents in the Muslim-majority southern border provinces found that about 70 per cent of respondents agreed that Muslim politicians should have their own political party.

Prominent members of the Wadah group include former House of Representatives speaker and former transport minister Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, former deputy interior minister Den Tohmeena, and former deputy education minister Areepen Uttarasin.

Wadah was a faction within the New Aspiration Party and became part of the Pheu Thai Party after NAP was merged into Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai Party, which was Pheu Thai’s predecessor. Some of the group’s members also joined Matubhum Party, which was formed by former coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

“We discussed this matter with former MPs from the Wadah group and former MPs in the three southern border provinces from other political parties. And they agreed with the idea,” Najmuddeen said.

He also said the new party would take a neutral stance regarding the ongoing conflict in the deep South, which has left thousands of people dead following attacks by insurgents.

“We see that nobody knows the problem better than us,” he said, adding that the Wadah group had previously implemented many policies to tackle problems in the region.

Meanwhile, the Democrat Party deputy leader, Nipit Intarasombat, said yesterday that he saw only “little impact” of a new Wadah party on his own party. “Wadah doesn’t reflect the real identity of the southern border region,” he said.

The Democrats have won most – and sometimes all – MP seats from southern provinces in previous elections.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said he believed that the group’s latest demonstration last Saturday broke the law, as protest leaders verbally attacked the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

“If police complaints are filed, authorities may enforce the Public Assembly Act,” said Prawit, who is in charge of the government’s security affairs.

Deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibhramanakul said yesterday police would enforce the law against anyone who staged a public assembly without seeking permission from relevant authorities.

Srivara said he had instructed police with jurisdiction over the protest area last Saturday to submit a report on the event to the Royal Thai Police. “Legal action will be taken against lawbreakers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Democracy Restoration Group (DRG) yesterday responded to Prawit’s refusal of its demands for an early election, the dissolution of the ruling NCPO and the military’s cessation of support for the junta.

“As Prawit said, the military belongs to the NCPO. This reflects that the junta views the military, including minor officers, as their mere tools to seek power and advantages of their own,” the DRG stated on its Facebook page.

The dissolution of the NCPO and ending the military’s support for the NCPO would not affect the already-delayed election plan, the DRG stated, as the acting government and governmental agencies would be able to carry out the election in a timely manner.

“The problem is not how we will manage it, but rather whether the NCPO is honest [about its pledge] to hold an election and not prolong its power,” the page stated. “Our movements are not threats to national security and the people. However, we are certainly threatening the NCPO’s security.”

“He was causing confusion over the election. So, what else could we do? We [dismissed him] to prevent further confusion,” said Prawit, who is a senior member of the National Council for Peace and Order and a deputy prime minster.

He was referring to Somchai Srisuthiyakorn – the recently fired member of the Election Commission (EC) – in response to mounting concern that the military-led regime was abusing its absolute power to interfere with independent agencies.

Since the new organic law paved the way for the dismissal of all current EC members, Somchai had often challenged the regime over any moves that could result in a delay in the planned general election.

This eventually led the head of the junta, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, to use the sweeping power available to him under Article 44 to sack Somchai prematurely, although the new election commissioners had not yet been selected.

Prawit said that everything was still following the road map and he wanted all officials to stick to that statement.

Somchai has continued to speak out even after his controversial dismissal.

He wrote on Facebook last week that the election would not take place within 150 days after the organic laws becoming effective.

However, government legal expert and Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday countered Somchai’s statement, saying that what he claimed was impossible and that Somchai had no authority to interpret the issue.

“The election will happen within 150 days after the laws are enforced,” he said. “This has nothing to do with the red and yellow cards.”

Wissanu was referring to the EC’s authority to ban permanently or temporarily those general-election candidates found to be involved with electoral fraud.

In part, this authority could also reschedule the election if any irregularity occurred.

Wissanu said the EC could issue yellow and red cards after the national election, but he omitted to clarify whether it would affect the announcement of the election results and the establishment of the next government.

The news surprised many people as the former minister had kept a low profile in politics since Banharn Silpa-archa, patriarch of Chart Thai Pattana – Pradit’s last party – passed away in 2016.

The news was posted on the Facebook page of Chalieo Kongtuk, a former Nation TV editor, along with photos of Pradit wearing a monastic robe and seen washing clothes in a remote provincial temple.

The post said Pradit, a former deputy transportation minister under Chuan Leekpai, had turned his back on secular life to join the monastic world at a temple in a remote area.

It is unclear when Pradit entered the monkhood or how long he intends to remain a monk.

Pradit first entered politics at the invitation of the late veteran politician Maj-General Sanan Kachonprasart at the Democrat Party.

He was elected as an MP in Phichit in 1995, and in 2005 became Democrat Party secretary-general.

He later quit the Democrats and joined Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana in 2007, where he became party secretary-general.

In 2011, Pradit joined Banharn’s Chart Thai Pattana Party, but failed to get elected as an MP.

During his political career, he held the posts of deputy transportation minister and deputy finance minister.

Pradit had several businesses, including in the hotel and aluminum-kitchenette sectors.

Last year, his name emerged in the media after it was revealed that he had bought a land plot linked to the scandal-hit Dhammakaya Temple.

“I will withdraw myself from attending the meeting,” said Watcharapol.

He also declined to confirm whether the meeting would resolve to invite Prawit to meet the NACC in person for further clarification over the issue. Nor would Watcharapol clarify whether the anti-graft body would agree to set up an official investigation panel into the case.

The meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, is expected to consider the findings expected to be filed by a panel appointed by the NACC to investigate the case.

Prawit was spotted wearing a luxury watch and a diamond ring during a Cabinet group photo session last December. Netizens have subsequently compiled and widely shared images of him wearing up to 25 luxury watches on various occasions.

The Deputy PM had apparently failed to declare them to the NACC as required by law.

Responding to public pressure, the anti-graft body launched a probe into the issue.

NACC secretary-general Worawit Sookbooon said the panel would table its findings, along with proposals for further actions in the case.

However, he declined to reveal further details, saying comments would come from the NACC tomorrow.

Najmuddeen Uma, a former Matubhum Party MP for Narathiwat, said the group was in the process of compiling a list of at least 500 co-founders for the new party, as required by law.

Their new party would be registered under the name “Pracha Chat”, which literally means “nation”, he said.

The politician said a recent survey of more than 1,000 local residents in the Muslim-majority southern border provinces found that about 70 per cent of respondents agreed that Muslim politicians should have their own political party.

“We discussed this matter with former MPs from the Wadah group and former MPs in the three southern border provinces from other political parties. And they agreed with the idea,” Najmuddeen said.

He also said the new party would take a neutral stance regarding the ongoing conflict in the deep South, which has left thousands of people dead following attacks by insurgents.

“We see that nobody else knows the problem better than us,” he said, adding that the Wadah group had previously implemented many policies to tackle problems in the region.

“Despite the fact that the works implemented by the government and the junta have progressed more than before 2014 [when the junta took power], some groups have tried to create chaos and escalate their strategies if their demands are not met,” Sansern quoted the premier as saying.

On Saturday, activists gathered in front of Army headquarters in Bangkok, calling for the military to cease supporting the military-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and its role in politics as well as to allow an election this year.

The protesters also called on the military to return to the barracks and its job of protecting the country, not administering it.

Activists demanded that the military stop serving the coup-makers who “were taking away the rights and freedom of the people”.

If those demands were not met, the Army would be targeted along with the NCPO in future protests, activists warned.

“The prime minister believes that most of the public understands that the country is moving forward to have a national election according to the road map. The procedures and the election date have to be set according to the law,” Sansern said.

However, protesters on Saturday demanded that the election be held in November this year, not in February next year as Prayut has most recently promised.

“If disorder like this continues, what is the guarantee that the national poll will be held in a peaceful atmosphere?” Prayut was quoted as asking.

Sansern also said Prayut had expressed concerns that the public was starting to worry that the former situation of chaos could return, so he had called on everyone to consider what should be done and what would not help the country move forward.

Meanwhile, Maj-General Piyapong Klinpan, an NCPO spokesperson, said the election date would be decided according to the law and road map to elections.

He added that the military could not be separated from the NCPO, because the two bodies were indivisible. The military and the people were “also one”, he added.

Military officers must go back to doing their jobs of protecting the country, not administering it, the young protesters said.

The activists called for the military to stop serving the coup makers who, they said, were taking away the rights and freedom of the people. If not, the Army would be targeted along with the NCPO in future demonstrations, they said.

Although current circumstances suggest that an election could only take place in February next year at the earliest, demonstration leaders stood firm in their demand that the poll must happen in November this year.

“This demand is not impossible. If the NCPO and the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) are willing to do it, the election can take place this year,” activist Sirawith Seritiwat said.

Protesters have threatened to stage a large-scale demonstration in May unless all their demands are met. May will mark the fourth anniversary of the coup.

The activists stressed that the NCPO must step down and reduce its role to that of a caretaker government organising the election.

“Elected governments leave office every four years. The NCPO this year should allow the election [to go ahead] so people can vote again,” said Rangsiman Rome.

The protest yesterday was the fourth in a series of demonstrations planned by the Democracy Demonstration Group since last month, when the legislature amended the organic law on the election of MPs to effectively put off the election by three months.

Prior to that, according to junta leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s promise to US president Donald Trump, the election was to be held in November this year.

The march yesterday was joined by more than 300 people who were protesting against military rule and calling for a November election.

Some 100 police officers were deployed to contain the march. The two earlier demonstrations, which took place on a university campus, were not met with the same measures.

Yesterday, some activists planned to ride on a truck with amplifiers and make political speeches during their march, but this was obstructed by police officers. They had to abandon the truck and got on a smaller pick up truck instead to lead the protesters on foot to the Royal Thai Army. which is about four kilometres away from the demonstration venue, Thammasat University Tha Prachan Campus.

Blocked by officers, protesters were unable to get inside the Army so they stopped and camped at the front gate to continue protesting and making political speech at 7pm.

As of press time, the assembly had not ended but protest leaders said it would end at 8 pm.

NCPO spokesman Maj-General Piyapong Klinpan, meanwhile, said that officers had been dispatched to facilitate the activity, ensuring it did not affect traffic and commuters.

“If the activities violate any law or order, there will be consequences,” he said.