THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Jittery junta issues threat over plan to scrap charter

Jittery junta issues threat over plan to scrap charter

PM PRAYUT AND DEPUTY WARN FUTURE FORWARD PARTY, SAY LAW MUST BE OBEYED WASAMON AUDJARINT

JUNTA leaders yesterday warned the Future Forward Party to think twice about its plan to scrap the 2017 Constitution and said there would be consequences if it disobeyed the law.
National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chief and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said in his weekly press briefing that the government would monitor political parties to ensure they were all obeying the law.
“They should think twice about whatever they do. They shouldn’t consider laws as obstacles,” Prayut said. “Laws are there to create justice. It is not every party that comes out to complain.”
In a separate interview, Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said that the Election Commission should study the party’s statement and see whether it violated the law.
Prawit insisted, however, that he was unconcerned about the Future Forward Party, saying that it was up to the people to choose who to support while refusing to say whether the NCPO was closely monitoring the party or whether he felt it had a chance of winning the next election.
The junta top brass were responding to Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit’s vow during the party’s first official meeting on Sunday to propose a law amendment to scrap the junta-written 2017 charter as well as grant amnesty to political prisoners under the NCPO ruling.
Future Forward is a new party perceived as liberal-leaning and opposed to the coup-installed regime and its legacy.
Political observers and the party’s supporters have expressed concern that the Future Forward’s ideology would make it a target for the junta and that it might not survive long enough even to contest the election planned for next February.
Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam added that Thanathorn’s vow was “harsh and could create problems”.
“[They] shouldn’t say anything that could spark conflicts – they should be responsible in what they say,” Wissanu said. “They have the right and freedom to say such things but whether they can act on them is another thing.”
Thanathorn has proposed that the NCPO-initiated meeting with parties next month should be broadcast live to ensure a transparent outcome, but Wissanu said that the NCPO “might have to think twice about it”.
“If they have so many conditions, we’ll have to rethink the whole idea of holding the meeting,” the deputy said.
The EC yesterday remained silent about the issue.
According to the Constitution, however, it has the power to scrutinise party’s policies to ensure they are not unrealistic, populist policies which could cause a financial burden to the country.

 

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