The award was given to Thailand for its role in eliminating and ensuring there was no highly enriched uranium in the country. He said Thailand received the award along with 17 other countries including Brazil, Chile, Denmark, South Korea, and two other Asean states – Vietnam and the Philippines.

The award showed Thailand’s commitment and obligation to the global community, Werachon quoted Prayut as saying.

The Nuclear Industry Summit, held from Wednesday until yesterday, was organised by the private sector, as a parallel event to the Nuclear Security Summit. It drew more than 400 representatives from leading companies in nuclear materials and technology, as well as leaders and representatives of 52 countries and international bodies such as the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Interpol.

Prayut‘s participation in the fourth Nuclear Security Summit underscored Thailand’s intent to join with national leaders worldwide to promote nuclear security, in a bid to ensure that the world is safe from nuclear and radioactive materials, and that they remain out of the reach of would-be attackers, Werachon said.

Uranium is a chemical element with natural radioactivity, which occurs in very low concentration in soil, rock, water, vegetation, animals, and human beings, he explained.

Uranium, generally in the form of enriched uranium, is mostly used in the civilian sector to fuel nuclear power plants. Currently, the US military uses uranium as a source of kinetic energy for the purpose of piercing armour, he said.

While in Washington, Prayut also met with Thai nationals who worked with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The PM told them his government was monitoring the world’s economic situation closely in order to prepare for the future and strengthen the economy.

He also talked about the Pracha Rath policy, moves between the state and private sector to get cooperation from all sectors, plus civil society, for national development, Werachon said.

Thai staff at the IMF told the prime minister that they agreed with the government’s economic policy to stimulate growth in the short term, as well as the long-term strategy for the country’s development over 20 years, the deputy spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Thais at the World Bank said the country faced some challenges including economic productivity, education, bureaucratic efficiency, the ageing society, human resources and the environment. Thailand had to have sustainable growth and improve competitiveness, they suggested.

PRIME Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha stressed yesterday that he would have no nominee to be the next PM after the general election.

“After the election, I’ll simply take care of my grandchildren at home,” Prayut said in an interview with Voice of America’s (VOA) Thai Service.

“I want to take a rest. Although many people want me to stay on, can I really do that? It’d be just wrong if I say yes.”

The country will certainly hold the next election by the middle of next year, he reiterated.

Prayut is currently on a trip to the United States to attend a nuclear-security summit.

He complained, however, that Thailand was still “misunderstood” by the international community, saying that reporters focus only on democracy and human-rights concerns.

In his weekly national TV address “Return Happiness to People in the Country” last night, Prayutrepeated that there were people trying to attack the government by using the terms “democracy” and “human rights”.

“If you break the law, you cannot justify impunity by simply saying that your rights are being violated,” he said. “There is no common sense in that.”

The government has harmed no one so far, he said, explaining that the regime had only asked some people for “a talk” if their actions were merely based on misunderstandings.

“Despite this, a number of people have been called in many times based on repeat offences, so it is rather clear that they have deliberately taken this course,” he said. “That’s why it is necessary to talk to these people.”

The junta has also given opportunities to people with different views to make positive changes in the draft constitution, he said.

“However, they refused to do so and keep on breaking the law, fleeing the country, and creating misunderstanding,” he said. “Let me ask the public this, what would happen if these people were to be elected at the next general election?”

The prime minister said he was also worried that the Kingdom could return to political turmoil if political-related policies being implemented by the junta are not unsuccessful.

However, he told VOA that he was not worried about the current situation because all parties had to follow orders issued by the National Council for Peace and Order, adding that the orders were always rightful and legitimate.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam also insisted yesterday that an election would be held next year after the endorsement of four organic laws essential for holding the election.

The organic laws need to be considered by the National Legislative Assembly and the Constitutional Court before being submitted for royal endorsement, he explained, adding that he would try to accelerate all processes.

However, Wissanu did not promise that the election could certainly be held in July next year.

Teerachai, in his capacity as National Council for Peace and Order secretary-general, said the outline of the seven-day intensive course had been completed.

The course will be held in military camps across the country, including in Pattani and Yala provinces, Teerachai said.

The Army chief said he had a list of “prospective students”, adding that they were all the old faces of the junta’s “attitude adjustment” programmes.

The course was first mentioned by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday, saying it aimed to send a serious warning to “stubborn” public figures who still kept a high profile despite being detained by the junta several times.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha later said there would another training course specially designed for journalists.

NCPO spokesman Colonel Piyapong Klinpan said on Wednesday that the courses had nothing to do with the junta’s original attitude adjustment programme and would not infringe on human rights.

Participants will be provided with health checks before entering the courses, Piyapong said.

Pol Lt-General Yutthana Thaipakdi, former chairman of the Senate subcommittee which investigated corrupt practices in the rice-pledging scheme, was speaking at the sixth session of state witnesses testifying before the court in the criminal case against former premier Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yutthana said the contracts between state-owned Public Warehouse Organisation and private firms for rice packaging and distribution under the scheme were flawed.

Yingluck, who attended yesterday’s session, is facing criminal charges over her alleged negligence in the scheme, which caused over Bt500 billion in damages to the state.

Yutthana said a small amount of rice packaging was to be carried out as stated in the contracts so only a small amount of packaged rice was distributed to needy people and most of the rice stock was handed over to private firms in big lots. This programme was suspended on August 31, 2013.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission accused Yingluck of negligence over the scheme in her capacity as the then chairman of the National Rice Policy Committee. Several other members of the committee have also been accused of negligence.

Another state witness, Prachak Boonyoung, deputy chief of the Office of Comptroller-General, told the court that the agency sent four urgent letters to Yingluck when she was prime minister in which it called on her to take quick action to solve various problems in the scheme.

Prachak said in the first letter Yingluck was told there were debts amounting to Bt540 billion in the scheme while other letters identified areas that were not transparent in the scheme.

It was recommended that the government suspend the project, Prachak said.

The Commerce Ministry was asked to tackle the scheme’s problems.

 

“Some people may say this [the 80 per cent figure] is daydreaming, but we are still determined to make the dream come true,” he said.

Dhirawat defended the EC’s request for a budget of Bt2.99 billion to organise the referendum, which the government described as “too high”.

He said there was no irregularity involved, adding that the agency’s main focus was to get as many people as possible to vote regardless of their stance on the charter.

“This is unlike an election where political parties and their canvassers often campaign for their supporters to turn out,” Dhirawat said.

He urged people to campaign with reasonable arguments to back their standpoint and avoid provocative action.

The election commissioner, who is in charge of political party affairs and the referendum, asked people to use good judgement before voting.

“Their decision should be for the benefit of the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Constitution Drafting Commission spokesman Norachit Singhaseni said the drafters were concerned that during campaigning parts of the draft might be explained inaccurately, which might result in misleading information or cause misunderstandings among voters.

He said drafters would submit details on the gist of the draft constitution to the EC by Friday to be published for eligible voters later this month.

Another CDC spokesman Udom Rathamarit said the commission’s meeting yesterday resolved to postpone its campaign on the draft constitution pending promulgation of the new referendum law.

He said the CDC had a plan to explain details of the draft to representatives from state agencies and the private sector.

Former election commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said it was not against the law on referendums for politicians or political parties to criticise the content of the draft constitution.

She called on election commissioners to clearly tell the public what could be done and what was against the law in regard to the national vote on the draft charter.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said any individual or political party could campaign against the draft as long as they did not distort the provisions involved, convey inaccurate information, or hire people to vote the way they liked.

He added, however, that details of this matter should be dependent on the new referendum law being debated by the National Legislative Assembly.

The potential question would be asked in addition to whether voters would accept the new draft constitution written by the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC).

According to the 2014 interim charter, the NLA is eligible to ask an extra question in the referendum on the charter draft. The NRSA could propose a question or any related advice to the NLA, which would decide on the matter next week.

NRSA member Wanchai Sornsiri yesterday proposed that voters be asked whether both Houses of Parliament should jointly choose the prime minister during the transition period.

He explained that the country would still need to be overseen transitioning to democracy. If the junta-appointed Senate is allowed to take part in choosing the prime minister, a good result could be promised, he said.

“Such a practice would help prevent crises and future coups,” Wanchai said.

His motion was voted 136 to two with 12 abstentions.

Along with the question, the NRSA also agreed to include a recommendation to the NLA that an extra referendum question may also involve the waiver of the three-prime minister candidate list during the five-year transition as suggested by Kamnoon Siddhisamarn, a member of the defunct Constitution Drafting Committee.

Those taking turns in discussing the matter included Seri Suwanpanont, chairman of the NRSA’s committee on political reform, who strongly supported the motion.

During the convention yesterday some members, including veteran politicians like Kasit Piromya, Vittaya Kaewparadai, and Nikorn Chamnong voiced strong opposition to having an additional question in the referendum planned for early August.

They said that such a question could potentially become a source of conflict. Also, if contradicting the constitution, voters would be confused and more issues might emerge.

The NRSA convenes today to debate questions to be submitted to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for an additional option presented to voters in the referendum on the draft constitution, NRSA whip spokesman Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said yesterday.

One key question will be whether unelected senators and elected MPs should vote jointly to select a prime minister.

Another question likely to be debated at today’s NRSA meeting is whether a national reconciliation committee should be set up after the election, according to members of the assembly.

Members said questions must be based on five principles: taking into account the country and public interest; improving the country’s administration or benefiting people nationwide; proposing solutions the public wants to move forward with peace and order; changing the country’s direction; and dealing with questions the draft charter does not address.

NRSA member Lertrat Ratanavanich said he would propose a question about establishing an independent committee on national reconciliation after the government is set up.

The committee would have a role in resolving conflicts and bringing about reconciliation, Lertrat said.

Another member, Wanchai Sonsiri, said he and others would propose questions asking whether voters agreed with the five-year interim period bridging between a military and civilian government and whether both MPs and senators should vote for the prime minister.

He said the joint vote would help to ensure peace and order, and sustainable democracy during the interim period. He added that he expected about 50 to 100 NRSA members to support the question.

NRSA political reform committee chairman Seri Suwanpanont disagreed with a proposal to ask voters whether they would accept Prayut Chan-o-cha staying on as prime minister during the five-year transitional period.

He ruled out the possibility that the NRSA would approve such a question, since the public might see it as an attempt to keep Prayut in power.

Seri reiterated that the two key questions discussed by the assembly would be Wanchai’s proposal that both MPs and senators vote for the prime minister and Lertrat’s idea regarding an independent committee to bring about national reconciliation.

He said members could propose other questions as well today.

The NLA would have the final say on what question would be asked, Seri said.

 

Watana, a former MP, told The Nation that he had been forced to sign a document upon his release stating that he had not been physically assaulted and his belongings had not been confiscated during his detention at the 11th Army Circle.

A military officer also told him to make comments on the new charter draft only “in an academic way”, according to Watana. But the politician responded that he would continue commenting as he liked, describing his views as “always neutral”.

During the 73 hours of detention, Watana said, he was held incommunicado in a room at the military camp but received decent care from military officers.

The military summoned Watana on Sunday after visiting his residence and finding he was not there. He reported himself to the military on the following day.

The summons came after Watana criticised on his Facebook page the junta’s recent detention of another former Pheu Thai MP, Worachai Hema, saying the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) tried to outlaw ordinary actions only because it was distrusted.

On Monday, NCPO spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said Watana had been summoned for posting online comments intended to degrade the junta’s image. He added that Watana also appeared not to have cooperated with the NCPO and had attempted to confuse society.

Watana, who previously served as minister of social development and human security, industry and commerce, has been summoned several times since the NCPO came to power in the 2014 coup. Earlier last month, he was detained after criticising the government. He is also facing prosecution for online comments about the junta that allegedly violated the 2007 Computer Crime Act.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said a planned “training course” on attitude adjustment would create a better understanding among politicians who have repeatedly been summoned by the junta.

Prawit added that the course was expected to help bring about reconciliation.

Speaking at a gala dinner event hosted on Wednesday by the US-Asean Business Council in Washington DC where he attended the 4th Nuclear Security Summit, Prayut said his government had launched several special economic zones to promote the setting up of clusters and super-clusters of future industries such as electric automobiles, smart electronics, robotics, aviation and logistics, and bio-fuels and bio-chemicals.

Second, the government is implementing measures to create a digital economy with a focus on setting up data centres, providing e-governance and e-payment services, and introducing 4G cellular service.

Eight laws will be enacted to provide a legal framework for the digital economy, Prayut said.

Third, the government has stepped up enforcement of laws to protect intellectual property rights while cracking down on cyberspace violations.

In addition, there will be more public campaigns and school textbooks dealing with the issue to increase children’s awareness of the benefits of intellectual property rights protections.

Regarding the connectivity of Asean economies, Prayut said the government has been implementing transport infrastructure schemes to link Thailand with other Asean countries while planning to invest in several double-track railroad, high-speed train and urban mass transit projects domestically.

In addition, Laem Chabang and Phuket seaports will be upgraded to accommodate cruise tourism, while the second-phase expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport is now under way.

He said the Thai economy has been resilient amid the ongoing global economic challenges due to its large international reserves, low unemployment and skilled workforce. Thai-US bilateral trade amounted to US$39.8 billion (Bt1.4 trillion) in 2015, making the US Thailand’s third-largest trading partner. In terms of foreign direct investment, the US is the second biggest investor in Thailand.