Prayut’s change of status confirms election, says ex-MPs
CONSERVATIVE leaning politicians believe there will definitely be an election this year following recent moves made by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, including his announcement that he is now a politician. However, they say it will be a hard-fought battle as all parties will vie for power.
Former Democrat MP Wirat Kalayasiri, who is also head of the party’s legal team, said considering the present circumstances, politics should proceed along the junta’s road map towards an election at the end of the year.
Wirat said Prayut’s recent announcement that he is now a politician with the past as a soldier strongly suggested that he was preparing to enter politics and wanted to keep the post of premier after the election.
Prayut may have announced himself to be a politician because he sees that there is strong resistance against the military – especially after his recent tussle with some locals during a trip to the South, which drew harsh criticism for the premier.
However, Wirat said it was good for Prayut to declare himself a politician, and being a politician from now on, he should listen more to the people and be in a good mood.
Juti Krairiksh, the party’s secretary-general, said politics in the near future would be harsh, as all concerned parties would vie for power. His party, however, would try to focus on the fundamental needs of the people as well as solutions to poverty and inequality.
Juti said the party had no problem with the election date, but it wished to see the present government fix the problems that cannot be fixed by an elected government – especially legal moves solve inequality.
