No election unless there is public order, says Thai PM

BANGkOk: While there are no signs of chaos and the authorities say the country is now peaceful, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has threatened not to call an election unless there is public order this year.

He also dismissed speculation that he was already forming a political party to enable his return to power after the election.

“If you want an election, you should stay in order peacefully. I cannot call an election if conflicts remain, and I cannot take responsibility for such disputes,” he said.

“By saying that, it does not mean I would delay the election, but I just want to warn people not to make trouble for the country,” he said.

“People also should not support people who create difficulties.”

Prayut did not make clear which factions were creating problems but, as he has in the past, he blamed the two major parties, the Democrat Party and Pheu Thai, for calling street protests against each other over the past decade.

Prayut has always portrayed the junta as a neutral party that staged the military coup in 2014 to end conflicts between the two rival political camps.

Political parties have strongly criticised the junta chief for using his absolute power under Article 44 to amend the Political Party Act.

They say this will create problems for them in verifying their membership lists, and could give the upper hand to a new party set up to support Prayut. —