BANGKOK, 26 May 2014 – Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has been royally appointed as the leader of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), effective today after the Royal Command to that effect was published in the Royal Gazette.
The royal command, dated 24 May 2014, was signed by His Majesty the King and countersigned by General Prayuth. The appointment came after the Army chief reported to His Majesty the King the continuing political violence that looked set to escalate and impair the security of the nation as well as affect the lives and well-being of the people.
Necessitated by the situation, the royal command stated, the military has taken control of the country since 22 May at 16.30 hr to restore peace, order and unity within the country. General Prayuth has also committed to spearhead the process for a political reform, and other procedures to create fairness to all parties involved.
Therefore, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has endorsed the appointment of the Army Chief as NCPO leader in order to let him administer the country and bring the situation back to normal.
