Pornpetch was referring to a proposal by the founder of the Peoples’ Reform Party, Paiboon Nititawan, who is seeking legal amendments, especially on the matter of party registration.

Paiboon has said that the system, which currently allows parties to recheck their membership rolls and collect fees from those people, disadvantaged new parties that had to seek new members.

He said the process should be completely reset to allow equal treatment for all.

Pornpetch said amendment to the law was possible but this would affect the timeframes given to parties to complete registration and other tasks required under the law’s provisional chapter. Moreover, it could also affect the road map to the election, Pornpetch said.

Abhisit said the agency must consider the case based on the facts.

The NACC head, Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, who is said to be close to Prawit, must also show his integrity and impartiality in leading the probe, Abhisit said.

Watcharapol once served as a deputy secretary-general to the prime minister attached to Prawit.

Last week, the NACC gave Prawit 30 days to justify his possession of the extravagant items, which he wore during a group photograph with the recently reshuffled Cabinet on Monday last week. The photo – which showed the 72-year-old retired general shielding his eyes with his hand, displaying what appeared to be extremely expensive accessories – quickly caught the public’s attention and raised questions as to how a lifelong military officer could afford such luxuries.

Prawit, meanwhile, remained silent on the issue, refusing to respond to reporters’ inquiries before attending the Cabinet meeting at Government House on Tuesday morning.

“The most significant thing is that the EU has relaxed its stance [towards Thailand]. Political development … now moves one step forward,” Don said on Tuesday before attending the weekly Cabinet meeting at Government House.

The EU on Monday agreed to resume political contact “at all levels” with Thailand, more than three years after suspending ties in protest at the military coup in Bangkok.

Don said that from now, all official political contact, as well as exchange visits between leaders or officials of European countries and Thailand, can go ahead.

The relaxation will also have a good psychological affect on investors, he said.

He added that talks between the EU and Thailand on business cooperation, such as a free trade agreement, could proceed when the time is right.

Worawit urged people to let the NACC do its job before jumping to any conclusions.

“Please let us follow our normal work procedures. Don’t speculate too much about it,” said Worawit.

Last week, the NACC gave Prawit 30 days to justify his possession of the two extravagant items, which he wore during a group photograph with the recently reshuffled Cabinet last Monday.

The photo – which showed the 72-year-old retired general shielding his eyes with his hand, displaying what appeared to be extremely expensive accessories – quickly caught the public’s attention and raised questions as to how a lifelong military officer could afford such luxuries.

Prawit is expected to submit an explanatory letter to the NACC today, according to a source close to him. The letter was at the Defence Ministry office and would be forwarded to the NACC after the long weekend, the source said.

An unconfirmed local report also claimed that Prawit’s ring was inherited from his mother, while what looked like a multi-million-baht Richard Mille watch was borrowed from Prawit’s businessman friend.

The source close to Prawit refused to confirm those claims, adding that the junta’s second-in-command would explain the matter only to the NACC.

The NACC is presided over by Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, who used to serve as a deputy secretary-general to the prime minister attached to Prawit. This has raised questions about whether the probe will be impartial.

Prawit’s “unusual wealth” was also an issue in 2014 when he entered the Cabinet, after he failed to declare any assets worth more than Bt200,000 to the NACC.

The bloc said developments in Thailand this year, including the adoption of a new constitution and a pledge by junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha to hold elections in November 2018, meant it was “appropriate” to resume ties.

But the European Union repeated its call for the restoration of full democracy and said it was still concerned about harassment of human rights activists and the curtailing of free speech in Thailand.

A meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels said they considered it was “appropriate to pursue a gradual political re-engagement with Thailand”.

The EU “has decided therefore to resume political contact at all levels with Thailand in order to facilitate meaningful dialogue”, the ministers said in a text approved at the meeting.

EU ministers halted all official visits to Thailand and suspended the signing of a partnership and cooperation accord with Bangkok in June 2014 after the army ousted the elected government.

But Prayut’s election promise and other measures such as the end of prosecuting civilians in military courts for certain offences have persuaded the EU to re-engage.

The bloc said it would look at possibly resuming talks on a free trade agreement with Thailand — as well as the partnership and cooperation accord — “with a democratically elected civilian government under the new constitution”.

But even when Thailand holds elections, they will not restore the same level of democracy the country had before the coup — a new junta-drafted charter curbs the power of elected politicians and calls for a fully appointed upper house, with several spots reserved for military leaders.

The military has further enshrined its role by declaring that any future administration must adhere to its “legally binding 20-year-plan” for the country.//AFP

Lieutenant Sunisa Divakorndamrong, party’s one-time deputy spokesperson, said on Sunday that she would go to the Police Technology Crime Suppression Division with her lawyer and some foreign diplomatic observers.

The NCPO last week filed six charges against Sunisa for allegedly committing sedition and violating the Computer Crime bill by uploading false information to her Facebook page.

Sunisa had criticised many of Prayut’s actions. This included his handling of the suspicious death of a cadet and also the different way he treated Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai when compared with Southern people who questioned the junta government’s policy.

NCPO spokesperson Maj Gen Piyapong Klinpan said the charges had been paid fairly to all sides. “We filed them through the normal legal procedure and didn’t abuse anyone,” he said

“The NCPO never obstructs any expression of opinions but the speakers have to be responsible for their actions. If they break laws, actions need to be taken.”

Sunisa has been keen an outspoken critic of Prayut and many of her comments are seen as being full of emotion and sarcasm.

“My criticism is pure in its intention and I follow my constitutional rights,” Sunisa said “I don’t aim to attack or smear the government but Gen Prayut, as a public figure, can be subject to criticism in the best interests of the people.”

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan will submit an explanatory letter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) tomorrow regarding his controversial possession of a high-end watch and diamond ring, according to a source close to Prawit.

The letter, now at the Defence Ministry office, will be forwarded to the NACC after the long weekend.

An unconfirmed local report also claimed that Prawit’s ring was an inheritance from his mother while what looks like a multi-million-baht Richard Mille watch was borrowed from Prawit’s businessman friend.

The source close to Prawit refused to confirm those claims, adding that the junta’s number-two leader would explain the issue only to the NACC.

The NACC is now presided over by Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, who used to serve as a deputy secretary-general to the prime minister attached to Prawit.

While Watcharapong has said that any NACC member with conflicts of interest would not be allowed to investigate the case, he did not clarify whether he would step aside from the investigation.

Preecha Suwannathat, a former Anti-Corruption Commis-sion member and one of the NACC’s founding figures, said it would be difficult for Prawit to justify the watch’s origin if he really had borrowed it from a friend.

“It just sounds too easy,” Preecha said. “In that case, he will need to bring a friend to verify his claim. That friend will also need to tell the truth if he doesn’t want to be guilty of providing false information to the NACC.

“If that friend turns out to be a civil servant, he will need to be investigated also,” he said.

The investigation standards should not be altered as a result, he added, “unless there is some other agenda, especially regarding the NACC president who is now being watched”.

Last week, the NACC gave Prawit 30 days to justify his possession of the two extravagant items, which he wore when |taking a group photo with the recently reshuffled Cabinet last Monday.

The photo of the 72-year-old retired general shielding his eyes with his hand, displaying what appeared to be extremely expensive accessories, quickly caught the public’s attention amid questions how a lifelong military officer could afford such luxuries.

In relation to questions about his “unusual wealth”, Prawit also came under fire in 2014 when he entered the Cabinet after he failed to declare any assets worth more than Bt200,000 to the NACC.

Although there still has not been a confirmation on the model of the Richard Mille that Prawit was wearing, possible models are estimated to cost from Bt4 million to Bt10 million.

As a result of the controversy, Prawit has again become an Internet sensation, although not in a way that a veteran military official might wish.

“Too bad, I am no Prawit so I can afford just this candy ring,” said one person wrote on Facebook, showing off a Ring Pop candy on his hand.

But shifts in General Prayut Chan-o-Cha’s schedule have drawn attention, particularly one involving a royal water-diversion project that some say needs to be repaired and put back into use.

In the morning, Prayut will hand over an agricultural machine and livestock from the Royal Cattle and Buffalo Bank for Farmers to farmers at Ban Pone Village in Kammuang district. He is then scheduled to travel to Lampayang Royal Reservoir in Khaowong district, followed by a meeting with local leaders at Khaowong Technical College.

Kalasin Governor Kraisorn Kongchalart said the prime minister’s visit to two districts of Kalasin will see him plan the province’s development strategies with an emphasis on addressing poverty.

Prayut chose to visit Kalasin after a survey concluded that people in that province and Mae Hong Son province suffer from poverty and a lack of opportunities, said Kraisorn.

Location changes in the PM’s schedule resulted from discussion among authorities concerned about the capacity of venues given the number of people who wanted to meet the premier, he added.

“Therefore, we had to adjust the schedule to fit the visit but I will ensure that the premier will be informed of the problems and the needs of the people,” the governor said.

His province would become the model for how to solve people’s poverty and hardship, he said.

Meanwhile, Bamrung Kayotha, a member of the sub-committee on national reform on natural resources and environment, said he wished that Prayut had chosen to visit the Lampayang Bhumipat water diversion tunnel in Khaowong district. The facility is a Royal Initiated Project of the late King Rama IX, he said, featuring a 740-metre underground tunnel able to provide water to over 12,000 rai (1,920 hectares) of land.

But the area has been abandoned and the transportation route to the project was damaged for a long time without repair, said Bamrung.

“I wish that the premier would visit the area to see the real conditions and situation of the area. The local villagers are poor and have no access to any help from the government. However, the visit to the area which had initially been planned was cancelled without any reason,” he said.

But Bamrung’s claims were denied by Kittiphum Intarabutr, a chief irrigation official of Kalasin Irrigation. The tunnel project has been functional and could distribute water to farmers in two tambons covering about 12,000 rai (1,920 hectares) of land, he said.

“The tunnel project has no problems,” said Kittiphum. “The transportation routes will receive an additional budget of about Bt12 million to improve five kilometres of the route to the project.”

The poll entitled “Thai charter in people’s eyes” was conducted from Wednesday to Saturday in light of Constitution Day yesterday.

Promulgated in April of this year, the charter, whose drafters were handpicked by the junta, has been promoted for its graft-fighting mechanisms, increased legal obligations, legal enforcement by the courts and the use of independent organisations to carry out government actions.

This same charter, however, is controversial, as some of its so-called innovations tend to not only tone down the influence of the existing major parties but also likely pave the way for political outsiders to hold power.

For instance, the new mixed-member apportionment election system will probably scatter MPs’ seats to parties of medium and small sizes. The entire Senate will be handpicked by the junta and the selection procedure for the premiership could allow an outsider to get the job.

The draft of the Kingdom’s 20th constitution was publicly approved in last year’s referendum. Campaigners with different opinions were tightly controlled and some were even convicted of offences.

While 72 per cent of all 1,164 people agreed that the current charter was rich with graft-fighting elements, 65 per cent thought that it would be hard to amend it as this would require approval from both the upper and lower houses.

Sixty-three per cent thought it would pave the way for a prime minister from outside, almost 58 per cent thought that it would allow the NCPO to prolong its stay in power and more than 55 per cent thought that the new electoral system might result in an unstable government.

Almost 46 per cent thought the charter would make governance more state-centric with less emphasis on public participation.

Asked for their opinions on the charter, 36 per cent agreed that it focused on fighting corruption, 26 per cent hoped that it would bring about justice for all people and 26 per cent hopes it would be practical and would not be adjusted too often.