Prayut shows up to work unannounced, as Defence Minister

After being removed from his position as Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha didn’t miss a beat and quietly showed up to work yesterday at his other job, as Minister of Defence. The former PM made a low-key – and unannounced – entrance, arriving at the Ministry of Defence in his car at around 10am.

While the Constitutional Court has yet to rule on whether Prayut’s eight-year term limit started when he became PM eight years ago, or when the current constitution was ratified in his second term, they did act to suspend him from his duties until an official decision was made. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who many believe was the behind-the-scenes Svengali that orchestrated the 2014 coup that brought Prayut to power, stepped into the role as caretaker PM in the meantime.

The paused prime minister posed for photos sitting in the Ministry of Defence office in conversation with ministry officials after rolling up in his private Mercedes Benz without warning any officials of his intentions to come to work today. Prayut said he would be making frequent appearances at the offices fulfilling his other position as head of the Ministry of Defence. No word yet on whether he would attend the next cabinet meeting in that role on August 30.

Prayut and Prawit have been positive but fairly tight-lipped about the transition, with Prayut offering support to the new acting premier, and Prawit saying things were running smoothly, but avoiding answering questions about plans between the pair. He declined to answer when reporters asked if he had spoken with Prayut, or if the two had an unofficial agreement in place for Prawit to be a placeholder allowing Prayut to return to power later.

A deputy spokesperson for the government said that the suspended prime minister expressed gratitude toward his supporters, thanking them for their messages, and said he was in good spirits and ready to work for the public interest. The spokesperson also said Prayut would continue his work as Minister of Defence with no confirmed public appearances, saying they would be at his discretion.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post