General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has called for cooperation from all sides to move Thailand forward in order to achieve national reform.
In his weekly televised public address, General Prayuth stressed that the NCPO did not intend to use its power to hurt anyone. In fact, it has used power in a constructive manner to bring about peace and happiness.
He explained that over the past two months after taking control of the national administration, the NCPO has made efforts to solve the country’s problems quickly with fairness, and it intends to seek ways to bring about national security and sustainability. General Prayuth stated that the problem of democracy should not be the sole focus; otherwise, the country would not be able to move forward. Therefore, people need to cooperate in order to create a better future. This will be the work of the government under the Interim Constitution, which has been enacted on July 22, 2014.
General Prayuth pointed out that under the interim constitution, it would ensure a balance of power between the NCPO and the provisional government, and foster transparency across all sectors. Even though the present situation has not yet returned to normal and reforms have not been fully carried out, tensions have eased and talks are continuing to take place.
He said that probing measures under the judicial system still exist. If there is no wrongdoing, then there will be no legal charges. Time will be needed for the investigation process in order to gather proof and to ensure fairness and transparency in the entire process.
In this regard, he said, all parties must accept the rules of society, which are in accordance with the law. This cannot be denied, as laws exist to enable members of society to live together peacefully, not to endlessly create conflicts. People who are guilty of their crimes must be punished or will have to flee the country, if they choose to not fight their charges. Should they return, they will face arrest and legal action, as it has happened in many previous cases.
According to this Interim Constitution, General Prayuth assured members of the public that there is no need to worry about the NCPO’s scope of power. He urged the people to trust the administrators of the country, saying that those in power now adhere to the principles of good governance, morality, integrity, transparency, and efficiency in doing their work. However, if they do not have integrity or the other qualities essential to public service, they can be replaced anytime.
He added that the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the National Reform Council (NRC) would be established to enable the reforms to be carried out. Everything has a time limit, as specified in the NCPO’s roadmap for social reform. The NCPO did not want to stay in power for a long time. Therefore, progress does not rest solely on the NCPO. In moving the country forward, it is up to the citizens as well.
