Young activists from Democracy Restoration and Start Up People demanded that an election be held this year during a demonstration at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus.

Several wore paper masks dubbed “Yutnocchio” – a likeness of Prayut with an elongated nose evoking Pinocchio, the fictional boy-puppet whose nose grew in length every time he lied.

The demonstrators were mocking Prayut as unreliable, having failed to keep his promise of an election in November this year.

National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Maj Gen Piyapong Klinphan on Thursday said it was inappropriate to “ridicule the leader because he is a phu yai [senior figure] of the country”.

“They should quit imagining things,” Piyapong said, warning that the junta would take action that would “gradually” move from soft to severe.

He said Thammasat University should consider the protest’s suitability and noted that the junta has been keeping a close eye on the movement.

The group plans another rally on March 10, though the location has not yet been announced.

The NACC has already requested interviews with four individuals involved in the case.

“There are a total of 25 watches seen worn by Prawit. If we find anyone is involved with any given watch, we will invite them [for clarification],” Worawit said.

The NACC recently sent a fourth letter to Prawit asking him to clarify details regarding each watch by mid-March, Worawit said.

“In the case that we need to invite Prawit to meet the NACC, we will,” Worawit said.

Asked if Prawit will be given more time to submit an explanation after the latest deadline, Worawit said it depended on his explanation, adding that normally the NACC treated each case fairly.

The NACC has already delayed the investigation, which was originally supposed to conclude last month, amid criticism that the agency is trying to stall.

Worawit denied that allegation, saying that evidence of more watches required more time to consider the issue.

Prawit previously told the NACC in letters that he had borrowed the watches from friends and already returned them. The general has also pledged to resign if found guilty or if people “do not want him to stay” in his position.

Two groups of people who in the past staged street protests against billionaire-turned-politician Thaksin Shinawatra and his alleged proxies are separately planning to re-enter politics, apparently with rebranding in mind.

The protest leaders were politicians before they took to the streets and left their old political parties behind.

Among the interesting new political groups in the making are the New Palang Dharma Party (NPDP) and the Great Mass of People Party (GMPP), which is closely linked to the anti-Thaksin former People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). 

Rawee prostrates to Rak Rakpong or Samana Pothirak, co-founder of Santi Asoke movement

The NPDP is linked to Chamlong Srimuang, a popular former Bangkok governor who was once leader of the now-defunct Palang Dharma, or Power of Virtues. Since the 1990s, Chamlong led many street protests against people in power and later he was a core leader of the “yellow-shirt” People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The GMPP is connected to veteran politician Suthep Thaugsuban, who was previously secretary-general of the Democrat Party. He left the party to form the PDRC and led prolonged street protests against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, which culminated in the military coup of May 2014.

Both new parties are believed to have the blessings of Chamlong and Suthep, who are viewed as allies of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. However, their spokesmen yesterday were non- committal as to whether the parties would support General Prayut in returning to power after the next election.

Former Palang Dharma members agreed to set up a new political party to carry on its ideology of integrity, according to Dr Rawee Maschamadol, a founder of the new party who once served as an executive member of the Palang Dharma Party. “That’s why we want to name the new party New Palang Dharma,” he said yesterday.

However, Rawee declined to reveal whether Chamlong would lead the new party or even appear at a press conference to be held today about its formation. “You should wait to see for yourself,” he said.

Rawee, a leader of the People’s Network for Thai Energy Reform, said “many organisations” have agreed to support the new party but that they would be disclosed at the press briefing today. He added that the party’s policy platforms have been developed from those of Malaysia’s ruling party United Malays National Organisation.

When asked if his new party would back Prayut as new prime minister after the election, Rawee said yesterday that its PM candidates will have a high standard of integrity but that they “dare not consider” Prayut to be one of its PM candidates.

Suthep’s brother Thanee Thaugsuban, a founder of the GMPP, was also non-committal yesterday as to whether it would support Prayut’s return as prime minister.

He said the party has yet to decide who it would support after the election.

Thanee, a former Democrat MP from Surat Thani, added that the Suthep-backed party expected to represent fellow protesters in the movement called Muan Maha Prachachon (Great Mass of the People), which called for extensive national reforms before the coup.

Thanee said Suthep was not among the co-founders but that he would help with establishing the new party and recruiting members.

The passage of the bills will draw the curtain on the drafting of the 10 organic bills that has been ongoing since the promulgation of the new Constitution last April.

The joint committees revising the bills yielded to the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC)’s stance after long debates.

The committee revising the Senate selection bill agreed to maintain the original stipulations that there be 20 groups of senators obtained from cross-election, said the committee’s spokesman Admiral Tharathorn Khachitsuwan.

The suggestion of the reviewing committee that the groups be categorised into 10 and the winner be voted by the candidates within his or her own group would be in the provisional clauses, adopted only in the first five years after the end of the current ruling, he explained.

Also, the candidates in the first five years could be either independent or representatives of professional associations while in the permanent clauses all would be independent candidates, he said.

According to the Constitution, the 250-member Senate in the next five years after the election would finally be hand-picked by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Concern was raised if the selection by the NCPO would affect the variety of the senators, Tharathorn said he believed the NCPO would consider the Constitution clauses in selecting them.

The joint committee revising the MP election bill since Tuesday had completed deliberating the controversial bill and concluded to maintain the CDC’s original stipulations as well in some of the most contentious clauses.

Committee spokesman Somchai Sawangkarn said on Tuesday that the bill should be able to sail through the NLA next week. It would take a vote of two-thirds of the NLA members to abort the bill again, he said.

He elaborated on the revision that the bill would ban entertainment in election campaign and change the voting time as argued by the CDC. The voting time prescribed in the bill would be from 8am to 5pm, he said. The NLA earlier agreed it be from 7am to 5pm, he said.

The joint committee also agreed not to have all parties be subject to the same campaign budget, Somchai said. The detail would be left for the Election Commission to find agreement with political parties, he explained.

The clauses that would ban eligible voters failing to exercise their rights from taking some position in the government sectors remain unchanged in principle, Somchai said.

They would deprived of the rights to become political office holders and lower executives of local administrations, he said. The wording had been changed slightly to ensure the bills were not unconstitutional, he added.

Two groups of people who in the past staged street protests against billionaire-turned-politician Thaksin Shinawatra and his alleged proxies are separately planning to re-enter politics, apparently with rebranding in mind.

The protest leaders were politicians before they took to the streets and left their old political parties behind.

Among the interesting new political groups in the making are the New Palang Dharma Party (NPDP) and the Great Mass of People Party (GMPP), which is closely linked to the anti-Thaksin former People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). 

Rawee prostrates to Rak Rakpong or Samana Pothirak, co-founder of Santi Asoke movement

The NPDP is linked to Chamlong Srimuang, a popular former Bangkok governor who was once leader of the now-defunct Palang Dharma, or Power of Virtues. Since the 1990s, Chamlong led many street protests against people in power and later he was a core leader of the “yellow-shirt” People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The GMPP is connected to veteran politician Suthep Thaugsuban, who was previously secretary-general of the Democrat Party. He left the party to form the PDRC and led prolonged street protests against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, which culminated in the military coup of May 2014.

Both new parties are believed to have the blessings of Chamlong and Suthep, who are viewed as allies of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. However, their spokesmen yesterday were non- committal as to whether the parties would support General Prayut in returning to power after the next election.

Former Palang Dharma members agreed to set up a new political party to carry on its ideology of integrity, according to Dr Rawee Maschamadol, a founder of the new party who once served as an executive member of the Palang Dharma Party. “That’s why we want to name the new party New Palang Dharma,” he said yesterday.

However, Rawee declined to reveal whether Chamlong would lead the new party or even appear at a press conference to be held today about its formation. “You should wait to see for yourself,” he said.

Rawee, a leader of the People’s Network for Thai Energy Reform, said “many organisations” have agreed to support the new party but that they would be disclosed at the press briefing today. He added that the party’s policy platforms have been developed from those of Malaysia’s ruling party United Malays National Organisation.

When asked if his new party would back Prayut as new prime minister after the election, Rawee said yesterday that its PM candidates will have a high standard of integrity but that they “dare not consider” Prayut to be one of its PM candidates.

Suthep’s brother Thanee Thaugsuban, a founder of the GMPP, was also non-committal yesterday as to whether it would support Prayut’s return as prime minister.

He said the party has yet to decide who it would support after the election.

Thanee, a former Democrat MP from Surat Thani, added that the Suthep-backed party expected to represent fellow protesters in the movement called Muan Maha Prachachon (Great Mass of the People), which called for extensive national reforms before the coup.

Thanee said Suthep was not among the co-founders but that he would help with establishing the new party and recruiting members.

The complaint stems from Netiwit’s Facebook post, which says “Pol Gen Srivara said in the [police] meeting: ‘This book is good. Do you people have it already?’”

Srivara asked the Technology Crime Suppress Division to prosecute Netiwit for allegedly breaking the computer crime bill by “posting false information to a computer system in ways that may cause damages to people”.

Netiwit’s post referred to the philosophical text “Message to Our Century: Three Essays of Isaiah Berlin”, which he translated and is keen to promote.

Netiwit personally gave the book to Srivara, who has pledged to track down “financiers” behind pro-democracy movements, on February 8 when he reported to police to face charges for joining an assembly last month advocating an election.

Netiwit’s message added that he was not backed by any financier and was instead supporting himself through book sales.

The student activist told The Nation that he would take the most recent complaint lightly.

“Let him do what he wants. If there is really a case about this, I’ll just fight it,” Netiwit said. “I don’t see how such a message could ever be instigating.”

He added that he had obtained Srivara’s quote from an anonymous police officer who had attended a meeting with the deputy

Srivara has been leading legal actions against pro-democracy activists, who recently have launched a series of assemblies to demand the junta government hold an election this year.

Last month, Srivara also asked the Criminal Court to approve an arrest warrant for activist Ekachai Hongkangwan, also for allegedly breaking the computer crime bill by “posting obscene content on his Facebook account”.

However, the court turned down Srivara’s request on the grounds that police should issue a summons for Ekachai first.

He insisted that lawful procedures had been followed, and that the Consular Affairs Department’s regulation to issue or revoke a Thai individual’s passport if the person were found to have acted in contravention of the regulation had been adhered to.

The judge also said such revocation had not violated Thaksin’s rights, as claimed.

The Supreme Administrative Court heard the statement to close the case from the judge, following a closing statement from Thaksin’s lawyer, and will next consider its verdict.

Thaksin had filed an administrative petition to the Administrative Court, asking it to rule whether the department and the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s permanent secretary had issued an unlawful order in revoking his two passports on May 26, 2015.

The Administrative Court on September 27, 2016 dismissed his petition, citing that the department’s regulation was lawful and that concerned authorities could revoke an individual’s passport if that person were found to be acting against the conditions set under the regulation, including committing crimes, stirring up public disorder, or posting threats while overseas.

This would be without depriving the person of their rights under the 2007 charter, the court stated.

Thaksin then filed another petition to the Supreme Administrative Court via his lawyer, citing the same reason: that the revocation regulation was not a law that entitled the authorities to deprive a person of their rights.

Delivering Tuesday’s closing statement from the plaintiff, Wattana Tiangkul – Thaksin’s lawyer – cited the current Constitution as guaranteeing the rights of a Thai individual both within and outside the country.

As such, the order has violated his client’s rights as guaranteed under the prevailing charter, he said.

The Supreme Administrative Court will convene a panel to consider the case, before ruling on it.

No date has yet been confirmed for the ruling.

FACED WITH mounting pressure from critics and the international community, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said the next election would be held “no later than” next February.

While making his latest promise about the election date, however, Prayut also warned that it would also depend on the situation at the time. “I am not making any threats. Let’s see what happens when the ban on political activities is lifted,” he said.

He rejected speculation that his post-coup government was plotting to cause endless delays to the election to stay in power. Suspicions to that effect grew after the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) voted to postpone enforcement of the MPs election bill for 90 days.

“Now I will give you a clear answer. The election will take place no later than February 2019,” the prime minister told Government House reporters during a press briefing.

He confirmed that an election would be held by then, even though all the election commissioners needed to be recruited again after the previous candidates were rejected. “There must not be any vacancies that affect the election,” he said.

It is the fourth time that the junta has officially delayed the election since its originally promised date in 2015.

Speculation about a February 2019 poll has arisen since the junta-appointed NLA last month decided to delay promulgation of the MPs law by 90 days from Prayut’s earlier promised date of November 2018.

Yesterday, however, was the first official confirmation of the election delay.

It also came despite increasing restlessness among pro-democracy activists, who do not buy into the NLA’s reasoning and want the election to be held this year without further postponement.

Prayut’s promise of a November 2018 election was also partly why the European Union agreed to resume political contacts with the government at all levels.

Critics were yesterday not convinced by Prayut’s latest comments about the new election date.

Activist Siriwith Seritiwat, a core leader of the pro-election movement, slammed Prayut for being inconsistent in his promises.

“His words are no longer credible because he always changes,” the activist said. “This is no different from when he said the election would happen in November 2018. It is just untrustworthy. He is just trying to reduce the pressure on the government right now.”

Siriwith said the pro-election movement was maintaining its stance that the election must be held this year and he promised it would continue demonstrating until its demand was met.

Yesterday, Prayut also said the “five rivers of power”, a term describing five junta-appointed bodies, should be able to meet after March to resolve outstanding issues related to the election date.

March is also when the two remaining organic laws, the MPs election bill and the Senate selection bill, are expected to be finished by the NLA before being forwarded to the prime minister and then submitted for royal endorsement.

The palace will then take up to 90 days, or by June, before the laws will be announced in the Royal Gazette, according to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam’s advice to the Cabinet.

As quoted by Government Spokesperson Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, Wissanu said that since the MPs election bill would take another 90 days to become effective, the law should be promulgated in September.

The MPs election bill will be the last of four organic laws essential to hold the election. Once it is in effect, the election will be organised within 150 days from when the all four laws are ready in September.

Wissanu concluded that the election should consequently be held between next September and February.

“But how soon the election will be held will depend on our readiness and the situation by then,” Sansern said. “The National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO] hopes we can follow the road map.”

Prayut also said yesterday authorities would continue to “monitor” the country’s situation during the 150-day period.

“There should be no instigation once the political ban is lifted,” Prayut said. “But this doesn’t mean that the election will not be held. The [election-related] laws should not be rejected either.”

While the political ban was still in place, Prayut said, a junta order issued in December would allow new parties to choose their party names and hold meetings to prepare for new electoral regulations.

But the moves needed to be permitted by the NCPO on a case-by-case basis, the premier said.

The same order would also require existing parties to compile a database of existing members starting on April 1, but they would still be unable to hold meetings, he added.

Meanwhile, veteran politician Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday dismissed media reports that he was preparing to set up a new political party in support of Prayut returning as prime minister after the next election.

“I have no plans to return to politics or join any future government. Definitely I don’t want to be a politician or contest any election again,” he said.

Prayut, who also heads the ruling junta NCPO, was also asked by Government House reporters yesterday to comment on reports that new parties were being planned to back his return to power.

“I would like to thank all of those people who support me to become part of a new government,” the prime minister said.

In a related development, Election Commission (EC) president Supachai Somcharoen maintained yesterday that the agency could still function even though one of its five members was about to retire and the number of commissioners would be reduced to four. If the number were reduced to three, however, the commission would be unable to make decisions on big issues, he added.

Supachai was apparently referring to the resignation of EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, which is possible if his application to become the agency’s secretary-general is successful.

The EC chief, however, said there must be a solution to the problem, such as a junta order to extend the incumbency of the retiring member.

Meanwhile, Council of State secretary-general Distat Hotrakitya said it was working on six local election laws that could take at least one month to complete. He said the EC would submit opinions on the bills today and the council would have to revise them accordingly.

However, the council had received an order from Wissanu to expedite the work so that local elections could be held soon, Distat said. Local elections are expected to take place this year.

“The election needs to be held by February 2019,” Prayut said during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday.

“I also have no intention of not holding an election and staying [in power] longer,” he added.

The PM affirmed that a general election would be held within that timescale even though the entire recruitment process for the replacement of election commissioners needed to be rerun.

“There must not be any vacancies to affect the election,” he stressed.

The premier’s promise of a general election by next February was the fourth time that the ruling junta had officially delayed the national poll since the originally designated timeline back in 2015.

However, there has been speculation of whether even holding an election by February 2019 is achievable since the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly last month decided to delay the MP election law’s enforcement by 90 days, effectively pushing back Prayut’s earlier promised period of November this year for the national poll.

Chaturon said the court had heard statements by both him and the Consular Affairs Department and would read the verdict later.

He remains blacklisted by the department and unable to travel overseas, despite a recent decision by the Administrative Court to reverse his passport revocation.

Chaturon ever said he had learned that the court’s order had not come into effect, pending an appeal against the verdict submitted by the Consular Affairs Department.

His passport remained invalid to all Thai immigration offices and embassies, he added.