The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is taking steps to put an end to divisions at every level in Thai society – from members of administrative bodies to the general public.
Head of the NCPO General Prayuth Chan-ocha denied that the NCPO was employing populist measures, saying it only wanted to solve the country’s urgent problems, in response to the complaints and the needs of the people.
General Prayuth cited the reform of people as most important, as people could be divided into different groups, sides, religions, and levels of quality of life. Each person and each group has different values and attitudes. If education cannot produce well-informed people with integrity, the people coming out of schools will not be able to handle threats, either traditional or non-traditional, or keep up with global changes.
He said that conflicts brought about by selfishness, dishonesty, and divisions would make Thailand a backward country. So everyone should put a lot of thoughts into this matter, rather than thinking of their personal interests.
General Prayuth said that everyone has his or her good side and bad side. The question is how to bring out the good side. In this connection, good laws are needed, and sometimes people must help warn each other and not support or cooperate with what is known to create conflicts and divisions. And if laws are enforced without discrimination, with officials operating efficiently and the judicial process functioning with clarity and without divisions and prejudice, everyone will be better off. People need a reliable system accepted by everybody. This is what the NPCO wants people to aim for – be they members of the general public or those agencies involved in the judicial system.
He called on the people to join forces in seeking appropriate measures, as Thailand needs to be democratic in its own way, with the use of the people’s wisdom to solve these problems and prevent them from repeating the same mistakes in the future.
General Prayuth pointed out that he wanted everyone to distinguish the faults of a person, or group of persons, who are to be dealt with as normal through the judicial system. As for the nation, it needs to continue to move forward. He said he did not mean to help any particular side, or to solve problems for the advantage of any specific individual.
