PM disses debates “I just don’t see the necessity to take part”

by Kas Chanwanpen

A prime ministerial candidate is refusing to take part in any of the televised political debates in the lead up to the election on March 24.

Dismissing growing calls to join the up-coming round of debates, NCPO chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha has affirmed that he attached no importance to the calls for him to outline his vision, arguing the debate stage was more about politics than policy discussions.

“I’ve long been prepared for this. But today, I just don’t see the necessity to take part,” Prayut said yesterday during his weekly press briefing, when asked about the calls for him to participate in the televised debates.

“It’s not about me being scared. It’s just that we only see them attacking each other. There’s no substance. This is no debate.”

Prayut, who is now the sole prime ministerial candidate of the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat Party, stressed that he would not join any of the debate sessions.

“It’s just that I’m working. I don’t have time for this eloquence thing.”

Prayut is known to be short-tempered with limited oral communication and public-speaking skills. So, while most PM candidates from all parties are living up to the election hype and joining the debates to show their leadership vision, all eyes are on the general, waiting to see how he would skirt the challenge.

Other contenders have been picking on Prayut for his absence from the prime ministerial debates.

Political scientists, meanwhile, want all candidates, including the general, to outline their vision to help voters make up their minds before casting their ballots.

In response, Prayut said plainly yesterday that his vision has been clear all along and can be seen in the government’s tagline: “Security, Prosperity and Sustainability”, which he said was based on the self-sufficiency philosophy of the late King Rama IX.

“That’s all for my vision,” Prayut concluded before elaborating that his government in the past five years had already laid out all the work on national strategy as well as other relevant legislation.

Prior to Prayut’s outright rejection of the debates, his affiliated party, Phalang Pracharat, had appeared reluctant to send him to the debates, citing legal implications given his current status as the PM and head of the ruling NCPO.

They have sent a query to the Election Commission but the agency has yet to give a reply on the legality.

SOURCE: The Nation