BANGKOK, Aug 26 — Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), today told the council’s 12th meeting at Army headquarters that despite the formation of his government, NCPO would continue to function, but it will exercise its authority only when it is necessary to maintain security and order.
He told the council to enforce normal laws for the purpose before considering any measures under martial law.
Gen Prayuth ordered the NCPO to quickly tackle corruption and other major problems of the country such as falling prices of agricultural commodities, including rubber and social problems.
He vowed to apply the guidelines of His Majesty the King including the sufficiency economy to his government’s efforts to develop infrastructure, manage water, design agricultural zones, solve product problems, rehabilitate state enterprises and restructure taxes and energy.
Gen Prayuth explained that special economic zones in border areas were not planned to prevent migrant workers from entering deeper inside Thailand but were intended to boost relations with neighboring countries and solve transport and labour problems.
Also, a Thai representative has already discussed the southern peace talks with Malaysia, the facilitator, which wants the Thai military or security agencies to take direct responsibility and lead the peace process.
