Thai junta chief hints may become PM after elections

By Max Constant

BANGKOK (AA) - For the first time, Thailand's junta chief-cum-prime minister has said he would consider an offer to continue his role as prime minister after elections planned for the end of next year take place.

But only if no other "good people” can be found, local media reported Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha as saying Thursday.

“The prime minister can be whoever. I think there are several prominent figures in Thailand who are better than me,” he told local reporters Wednesday at the government house weekly press briefing.

“But if you cannot find any good persons, then turn to me."

The hint at acceptance of a premiership offer came a few days after former junta-appointed National Reform Council member, Paiboon Nititawan, announced the setting up of a political party, the People’s Reform Party, which will be open to retired military officers.

Nititawan predicted that Chan-ocha would become prime minister and said that he considered him the “right person” for the top job.

“I believe nobody will become prime minister at this state, except Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha,” he told the Bangkok Post.

A draft charter written by a junta appointed committee of legal experts and accepted in an Aug. 7 vote paves the way for a “non-elected outsider” to become prime minister.

According to the draft, each political party with elected representatives after the 2017 election in the lower house can submit the names of three MPs for the top post to a vote.

If there is no agreement, the junta-appointed senate will step in, and during a joint session of the two houses of parliament members will vote for a prime minister who can be a “non-elected outsider” -- for instance a retired bureaucrat or a retired military officer.

However, discussions are presently taking place among members of the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly about a possible change in the constitution that would change the prime minister selection process.

According to the proposal, from the very beginning a joint session of both houses would instead take place, which would elect a prime minister from a list of elected MPs and non-elected outsiders.

On Wednesday, Chan-ocha appeared reluctant to see a change in the draft.

“Wouldn’t that violate what the draft charter says?” he asked during the weekly briefing.

On Wednesday, Nipit Intarasombat, the deputy-leader of the Democrat Party -- long seen as pro establishment, yet came out against the passing of the draft charter at the referendum -- warned about further change.

“Nobody can bypass MPs because they are authorized by the draft charter to be the first people to pick prime ministerial candidates from the political parties’ lists,” he said to the Bangkok Post.

“The senate can only step in to join the lower house in the selection process of a prime minister if MPs fail to choose one," he added.

The establishing of a party open to retired military officers is reminiscent of the events of 1992, when a pro-military party was formed allowing 1991 coup leader Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon to become prime minister.

Kraprayoon's rule as premier -- which began April 7. 1992 -- was relatively short-lived.

In a matter of weeks, hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets, only to be severely repressed by the military resulting in 52 confirmed deaths and many disappearances.

On May 20 that year, King Bhumbol Adulyadej summoned both Kraprayoon and former Bangkok Gov. Chamlong Srimuang, who had led the demonstrators, and asked them to solve the conflict peacefully.

Kraprayoon resigned as prime minister May 24.