Good progress has been made in promoting better understanding between conflicting parties and among people holding, for years, different views on political and social issues in the Thai society.
In his televised public address, Head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NPCO) General Prayuth Chan-Ocha has informed the public of the progress on NCPO’s operations in various areas.
According to him, individuals who have been summoned to report to NCPO have given good cooperation and are ready to contribute to the reconciliation process and the operations of the NCPO. As part of the reconciliation process, activities have been held in many provinces, with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country.
During the initial stage, the people with different points of view freely talked to one another without core leaders’ and opinion leaders’ interference, so that they could obtain complete factual information, explained Gen. Prayuth.
Regarding the first phase of the reconciliation efforts, the General said the process started with the NCPO organizing activities aimed at encouraging people to meet and interact in order to reduce conflicts and providing opportunities for them to hear different opinions and obtain complete information from all angles. As many of them have been listening to only one-sided information, these efforts are intended to create mutual trust and reduce suspicions among the people.
Concerning the task of ensuring equal justice for all, law enforcement of the highest integrity will prompt the people to regain confidence in the country’s judicial process, which include police, public prosecutors, and the court system. However, it will take some time and cooperation from all people in order for the process to succeed, said the General.
Law enforcement officials have continued applying regular criminal laws to suppress illegal activities, such as crime, drug trafficking, and the exploitation of natural resources. The action has been carried out through combined operations of security-related agencies, the Office of Narcotics Control Board, the International Security Operations Command, and the civil society.
General Prayuth reiterated the NCPO’s intention to emphasize the enforcement of regular laws, saying martial law would be applied when necessary. He urged everyone to strictly abide by the law and respect social norms, which were crucial for peaceful co-existence. Authorities would not use laws as a means to create conflicts.
