Govt, junta discuss revocation of some Article 44 orders
The government and the National Council for Peace and Order are discussing the revocation of some of the orders issued under the junta head’s absolute power under Article 44 of the interim charter, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Monday.
He said some of the orders would remain in force while others would be transformed into bills, but did not elaborate on which would fall under each category.
Since the 2014 coup, junta chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also prime minister, has invoked Article 44 to issue nearly 150 orders.
A provisional clause in the new Constitution promulgated last week allows the use of the interim charter’s Article 44 by the head of the junta until a new government takes office.
Responding to criticism over the continued use of the Article, Wissanu said the power that it provided for was still necessary for solving urgent problems.
The deputy PM insisted that the government would neither use the Article to interfere in the justice system, nor to hurt anybody.
