PM concerned as Suthep to announce future plans today

Suthep, a key leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), called a press conference for today to announce the plans for the “Great Mass of People’s Founda-tion for Thailand’s Reforms”. He and other PDRC leaders will run the foundation. 

“I am worried. There are many people who don’t know about themselves and they can’t change it,” the prime minister said, when asked if he was concerned about this development. 

Prayut added that it was the National Council for Peace and Order’s responsibility to decide whether Suthep should be given the green light, adding that if the press conference was not political in nature, it should be fine. 

“If he talks politics, we won’t let him,” said Prayut, who also leads the NCPO. 

Suthep, former secretary-general of the Democrat Party, gave up his monastic life on Tuesday after spending more than a year in saffron robes. 

The PDRC led street protests against the Pheu Thai-led government for six months before the military stepped in, allegedly because of political violence. 

Today’s press conference will be the first time since the coup in May 22, 2014, that 12 PDRC leaders will officially get together to continue their push for reform. 

Akanat Promphan, spokesman for the foundation, confirmed yesterday that the news briefing would be held today at the InterContinental Bangkok Hotel from 10 am. The press conference will be held in Pinnacle Halls 4-5, which can accomodate up to 140 people.

Suthep will attend the event in the capacity of the foundation’s chairman. He will lead the foundation’s board members to explain their strategy to support “reforms” according to the six-point proposal initiated by Suthep himself, Akanat revealed.

The board includes Satit Wongnongtaey, Witthaya Kaew-paradai, Issara Somchai and Thaworn Senneam as vice chairmen, with Chumpol Chulasai, Chaiwut Bannawat, Puttipong Punnakan, Sakoltee Phattiyakul, Natthapol Theepsuwan, Akanat Promphan and Chitpas Kridakorn as board members. Natthapol is also the treasurer, while Akanat is secretary and Chitpas his assistant. 

Most of the foundation’s board members will attend the press conference, Akanat said, adding that only members of the media were invited to the event. 

“It could be improper if we invite a great mass of people to come to the briefing, considering [the current] situation [of the country]. So we ask you to follow up on our news through the media,” Akanat said on Facebook. 

He said the foundation was not struggling with being closely monitored by the NCPO, adding that the group initially coordinated with First Army Area commander Kampanat Ruddit and “everything had gone smoothly”. 

The NCPO may have some officers observe and keep track of the news briefing, he said, but the foundation had yet to be told how this would be done. 

Meanwhile, Deputy Defence Minister Udomdej Sritabutr said there would be no problem if politics were not touched upon and nobody caused a stir. “I want to ask every party to be cautious, because we – the NCPO – have to keep everybody in order,” Udomdej said, adding that he had not issued a special alert on Suthep despite his previous role in a political uprising. 

Udomdej said he had not seen any written requests for permission to host the event from the foundation, though if the briefing were “decent”, it would be fine. However, he warned, action would be taken if the event were improper.