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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40020601

Bangkok facing weekend of protests as anger at Prayut ruling rises

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2022

THE NATION

The anti-government Kana Lomruam Prachachon (Melting Pot Group) has scheduled a protest against the prime minister in Bangkok on Sunday. The group announced it will gather at the 14 October 1973 Memorial in Phra Nakhon district from 5pm.

Led by former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan and lawyer Nitithorn Lamlua, the group was at Ratchaprasong Intersection on Friday to witness the Constitutional Court’s ruling on General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s tenure as prime minister.

The court ruled by a 6:3 majority that Prayut had not reached the constitutional eight-year limit of his term, which should be counted from April 6, 2017 when the current charter came into force.

Jatuporn, responding to the verdict from a Ratchaprasong stage, said Prayut had already completed his term since he assumed office on August 24, 2014 after leading the military coup. Jatuporn also insisted that the “3Ps Regime” must be stopped.

The 3Ps refers to Prayut, Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan, and Interior Minister General Anupong “Pok” Paochinda. The trio are former commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army and brothers-in-arms since their days as junior officers.

Jatuporn also offered moral support to the Ratsadon Group, who scheduled an anti-government rally at Victory Monument on Saturday.

THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40020594

Reinstated PM Prayut shines a bright light on his govt’s achievements

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

After learning that he can stay on as prime minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha took the opportunity to highlight his government’s success in starting “unprecedented large-scale and integrated” development projects.

The reinstated premier said these mega-projects were key to ensuring the country’s progress and boosting the wealth of its people.

Prayut returns to work at Government House next Monday when he is scheduled to meet the new ambassadors of Kazakhstan and Australia.

In a Facebook post, Prayut said he respected the Constitutional Court’s decision to count his eight-year tenure from April 2017, when the current charter came into force.

Thanking his supporters for their good wishes, Prayut said he had spent his period of suspension reviewing his government’s achievements, especially key infrastructure projects that “will bring progress to the country and create a good future for our children and grandchildren”.

Those infrastructure projects include highways, railways, airports and harbours, he said.

“No other government had initiated or implemented such projects at such a large scale and in an integrated manner like this,” Prayut’s post read.

He added that history proves countries that have completed such mega-projects can leapfrog to prosperity.

“Once the projects we are doing are completed, our country will enter a golden age of prosperity. We are headed in the right direction and must work together to complete [the projects],” he said.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri also relayed Prayut’s thanks to his supporters for their encouragement and good wishes.

The government spokesman’s office also released Prayut’s work roster for Monday when he returns to office. The PM is scheduled to meet Kazakhstan’s Ambassador Arman Issetov at 1.30pm and Australia’s Ambassador Angela Jane Macdonald an hour later.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40020590

Thai private sector unfazed by Prayut’s return to PM’s seat

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

THE NATION

The private sector does not believe that the reinstatement of Prayut Chan-o-cha as prime minister will affect foreign investments, provided everything is within the law.

The Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that Prayut has not exceeded this tenure and can stay in the PM’s seat until 2025.

Wisit Limleucha, vice president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said just before the verdict that he was not worried about the ruling, provided it was based on law.

He said the ruling has more to do with Thai citizens, who will wonder what the government will do to survive. Foreigners, on the other hand, will not care about the verdict, he added.

Chaicharn Chareonsuk, chairman of the Thai National Shippers’ Council, also agreed that the ruling is not important to the private sector provided the country is politically stable. This factor, he said, will help build confidence and benefit the economy as well as bring in investment.

He added that the upcoming Apec summits hosted by Thailand in November should be used as a showcase for the country’s potential.

Meanwhile, he said, if an election is held next year then the winning administration should maintain good policies and get rid of bad ones. He also said that Thailand must maintain political stability if it wants to meet its 10-million arrivals target by the end of this year.

However, Chaicharn admitted that economic growth and investments are also affected by other factors like trade wars, volatile currencies, rising oil and energy prices, and inflation.

He also said that political stability is important if Thailand wants to meet its goal of welcoming up to 10 million tourists this year.

The export sector, meanwhile, believes it will achieve an 8 per cent growth this fiscal year regardless of who is at the helm of the country. The only two factors that may adversely affect the sector are the shortage of computer chips and a slowdown in China.

THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40020589

Constitutional Court rules Prayut can stay on as PM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

The Constitutional Court on Friday ruled that General Prayut Chan-o-cha can continue as prime minister because he has not served the maximum eight-year term stipulated in the current charter.

The court’s nine judges made the decision by a majority 6:3 vote in favour of Prayut.

The court ruled that the eight-year limit for a prime minister’s tenure set by the Constitution shall be counted from the day the current charter came into force — which is April 6, 2017. Therefore, Prayut has not exceeded the time limit.

The reading of the verdict took about 25 minutes.

Unlike previous charters, the current Constitution clearly stipulates a time limit for the PM’s tenure.

Article 158 states: “The prime minister shall not hold office for more than eight years in total, whether or not consecutively. However, this shall not include the period during which the prime minister carries out duties after vacating the office.”

The parliamentary opposition, via the House speaker, on August 24 petitioned the Constitutional Court, asking if General Prayut had completed his eight-year tenure. The petition cited the fact that he had served in the position since August 24, 2014 following the military coup that he led three months earlier.

Meanwhile, Prayut’s legal adviser Maj-General Wira Rojanawas on Friday called on all parties to accept the Constitutional Court verdict.

“I call on everyone involved to accept and respect the court verdict that General Prayut can still serve as prime minister until the eight-year limit,” he said.

Wira, who is part of Prayut’s legal team and worked on this case, represented the suspended PM and attended the court’s verdict reading on Friday afternoon.

Asked if he was concerned about street protests following the court ruling, Wira said he had no worries as authorities could deal with the matter.

Wira said that Prayut now could be addressed as “prime minister” again and that he would resume his duties at Government House from Monday.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/thailand/politics/40020586

Thai court rules Prayut has not exceeded 8-year limit as PM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday ruled Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had not exceeded the maximum eight years allowed in the post, paving the way for his likely return from a five-week suspension.

The court was announcing its decision in a case filed by the opposition, which sought clarity on whether Prayuth’s time as leader of a military government formed after a coup eight years ago should count in his overall tally.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40020581

Prawit refuses to evaluate his performance as acting PM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

General Prawit Wongsuwan on Friday refused to evaluate his performance as acting prime minister while standing in for General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Prawit, the first deputy prime minister, was asked the question by a reporter at Government House. He told reporters that the media should do the assessment.

He has taken the acting PM role since August 24, when the Constitutional Court ordered Prayut’s suspension, pending its verdict on whether he has completed his eight-year term as prime minister.

When asked what he would do if he had to continue serving as acting PM, Prawit responded: “I don’t know. I still don’t know now what to do next”.