Democrat politicians come out swinging over junta credibility

The complaints came after public speculation that the law vetting committee may postpone enforcement of the MP’s election draft bill until 90 days after the promulgation, rather than the immediate enforcement in the original text. This could result in the promised November election being delayed.
Nipit, the party deputy leader, said that the government’s problem with credibility came from the contradiction between what the junta leaders say and what they do, including in the cases of the luxury watches and as the road map to democracy.
Nipit added that the issue about the timing of an election does not arise from a failure of democratic politics or the people, but rather from the people now in power – whether they are ready and have got their party ready.
“As the judge now wants to join the [election] game, he will have to make the rules to maximise their own benefit,” the politician said.
Until recently, the people still believed in PM Prayut Chan-o-cha while not so much trusting his colleagues, Nipit said. But now, Prayut’s credit is on the decline, too, he added.
Nipit said he had always expected the election delay. The junta was determined to be here to stay, the politician said.
It was usually stipulated in the law the date when it would come into effect. Nipit said the powers that be could easily put in any number they liked in order to put off the election.
Sathit, meanwhile, said that if the speculation turned out to be true, the government’s credibility would be shaken. It had promised the election and then failed to fulfill it, he said.
Voters cared about more than legislation, he said. And with other issues such as the luxury watches and the signs that the junta wants to cling to power, the government was losing its credit and it would become hard for them to go on, he added.
As the government lobbed the ball to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) over the complication in the legislation, Sathit said that the government could say whatever it wanted. But whether those statement had sufficient credibility was another story, he said.
“We all have seen the NLA pass some laws in three consecutive readings in one day. Their work is all under the National Council for Peace and Order and so may lack independence,” he said. “It’s hard to look at it another way.”
Both democrat politicians also said that it wasn’t easy for the NCPO remain in power in any case. Bread-and-butter issues, for example, are very pressing and people were feeling the effect.