No 'shutdown' planned: PM
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PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha clarified yesterday that he did not really plan to "shut down" the country. He said that Thailand prior to the coup last year was on the verge of disaster - prompting him to draw a comparison to the "Shutdown"
“What I really meant is that if conflicts are still not resolved, our country will head towards a situation just like before May 22 [when the military staged the coup],” he said. Thus, he drew a comparison – as a failed state would be like the country was shut down.
“Will there be any difference?” he quipped, adding that he did not mean the country would be shut down.
During his “five rivers” address, Prayut was quoted as saying: “If politicians don’t stop talking [to stir conflicts], I’ll have to keep staying [in power]. I may even have to close the country if I need to”.
The remark made headlines and was widely mentioned online. The wording negatively affected Thailand’s image and the stock market took a hit.
The “five rivers” are the Cabinet, the National Council for Peace and Order, the National Reform Steering Assembly, the National Legislative Assembly, and the Constitutional Drafting Commission.
