Prayut attends Defence Council meeting via video teleconference
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha opted to take part in a Defence Council meeting via video teleconference instead of physically attending the meeting at the Defence Ministry in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district on Thursday.
The conference came a day after the majority of Constitutional Court judges voted to accept an opposition petition for deliberation on Prayut’s tenure and suspended him from duty until a ruling is made.
Prayut reportedly attended the meeting from his residence at the 1st Infantry Regiment base in Phya Thai though he can freely carry out his defence minister tasks.
Deputy Defence Minister Chaichan Changmongkol, Defence Ministry permanent secretary Worakiat Rattananon, Chief of the Defence Forces Chalermphon Srisawat, Army Chief Narongphan Jitkaewtae and Air Force Commander-in-Chief Napadej Dhupatemiya were physically present at the meeting.
Opposition MPs invoked Section 82 to sign their names sponsoring the petition, asking the court whether Prayut’s tenure should be deemed expired in accordance with provisions of the Constitution that limited the tenure of a prime minister to eight years. They insist his tenure ended on August 23, 2022.
The petition also asked the court to suspend Prayut from duty until a ruling is made.
