Thailand’s four armed forces’ chiefs to skip PM voting due to jobs elsewhere
The supreme commander and chiefs of the three armed forces will be busy with other missions and cannot attend the joint Parliament sitting to elect the next PM on Thursday.
According to sources, Supreme Commander General Chalermpol Srisawat will be busy with a task in Phitsanulok, while Army Commander-in-Chief General Narongpan Jitkaewthae will be on an inspection trip in a border town.
Sources added that the Royal Thai Air Force chief ACM Alongkorn Wannarot was on an official foreign trip, while Royal Thai Navy chief Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said on Wednesday he will be busy at a ceremony commemorating the 1893 Franco-Siam War.
The ceremony will be held at King Rama V Fort in Samut Prakan’s Phra Samut Chedi district all day.
The four military top brass and the National Police chief are ex-officio senators.
Choengchai added that maintaining security on the Chao Phraya River was the Navy’s responsibility. The Parliament Complex is located on the bank of the Chao Phraya in ฺBangkok's Dusit district.
He said the RTN has coordinated with other security agencies in maintaining security and has prepared enough boats to evacuate parliamentarians and officials.
Security agencies have expressed fears that protests may break out if Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the biggest party in terms of MPs, is not elected as the next premier.
Choengchai said the supreme commander has not issued any instructions to other armed forces’ chiefs about the voting.
He said his mission in Samut Prakan had been scheduled a long time ago as the 1893 Franco-Siam war is commemorated on July 13 every year. He added that his absence is not a message for anyone.
