PM comes under attack after political bans lifted

Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and his governmental coming under attack from politicians taking advantage of the junta’s lifting of political restrictions. The ban was officially lifted on Tuesday allowing commentary about politics, including criticism of other politicians and parties.

Most of the parties who have been speaking up so far are linked to fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin has been living in self-imposed exile overseas since 2008.

On Tuesday, the ruling NCPO partially repealed nine of its previous orders that restricted political activities since the May 2014 military coup.

Veteran politician Chaturon Chaisang said the country had been at a standstill for many years under dictatorship.

“The country is ruled by a leader who lacks maturity and cannot be scrutinised. People have no right to air their sufferings. The leader keeps yelling at them,” he said.

Chaturon, who heads the election strategy committee of Thai Raksa Chart Party, said Thais should no longer tolerate the sufferings inflicted by the junta, which includes the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

“Dictatorship must be replaced with democracy. We cannot change General Prayut’s thoughts, so the only way out is to change the government,” he said.

Chaturon also asked Prayut to state clearly that he will not issue any more orders as junta chief in the run-up to the election that will put a pro-NCPO party at an advantage.

Tourism is suffering ‘as country is not democratic’ Jatuporn Promphan, a senior figure in Puea Chat Party, which is also linked to Thaksin, said many of the country’s problems have remained unsolved under this junta-led government. Also, Thailand’s bargaining power in the international community has diminished because it is under military rule, he said.

“Tourist arrivals have declined because the country is not democratic,” Jatuporn, who is a red-shirt leader, said. He also said a free and fair election was necessary to prevent conflict and chaos following the national vote.

“Our country has suffered a lot of damage already. So, all sides should make sacrifices to ensure peace. The election must be held properly so we can get a good and legitimate government,” he said.

Seripisut Temiyavej, leader of Seri Ruam Thai Party, said yesterday that the longer the Prayut government stays in power, the gap between the rich and the poor will become wider.

“This government favours capitalists who get richer and richer, yet ordinary people get poorer,” he said while meeting with voters in Bangkok’s Asok area.

The former national police chief-turned-politician also said it was time for the country to get a democratically elected government. “Whether it is good or bad, at least you can scrutinise it, unlike a dictatorship,” Seripisut said.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that he believed people want to see a better government after the election.

“People also want a better economy and hope honest political parties can implement policy platforms that really benefit the people,” former PM Abhisit said.

SOURCE: The Nation