In Thailand: Junta boss happy to stay in power, if Thais want him

Since overthrowing Yingluck
Shinawatra’s government in May last
year, Prayuth Chan-ocha has been
criticised by countries such as the United
States for his undemocratic rise and his
zero-tolerance approach to dissent.
The Thai general who led a coup last year
said on Thursday he was happy to stay
on as leader if given a mandate at a
general election next year, calling on
Thais to “ protect me from both outside
the country and within the country “.
Since overthrowing Yingluck Shinawatra’s
government in May last year, Prayuth
Chan-ocha has been criticised by
countries such as the United States for his
undemocratic rise and his zero-tolerance
approach to dissent.
Prayuth, who was chosen as prime
minister last year by an interim
legislature dominated by the military he
commands, has promised to give
Thailand “true democracy” as fast as
possible and has long denied having
political aspirations.
“ If the people want me to stay, they have
to find a way for me to stay, then I will
and I can,” Prayuth told reporters.
“ But everyone must find a way to protect
me from both outside the country and
within the country.”
The junta expects a general election
around August 2016 to give time for a
referendum to be held to give the public
the final say in passing a new
constitution.
Thailand’s intractable conflict has
festered for a decade and broadly pits a
royalist establishment with staunch
military support against a powerful
political machine created by self-exiled
tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra.
The billionaire’s populist juggernaut has
won every election since 2001 on
massive rural support and has endured
two coups, two party dissolutions and
scores of political bans. Its opponents say
it is a vehicle for rampant graft and
cronyism.
Prayuth has frequently come under fire
from rights groups and the United
Nations for using military courts,
threatening opponents and the media
and allowing detentions without charge.
The dropping of martial law in April
failed to appease his detractors, who said
its replacement – article 44 of the junta’s
interim constitution – was even more
authoritarian.
Prayuth said he thrived on that kind of
criticism.
“ People still attack me and say that I
want to prolong my power,” he said.
“ Many people say that I am
undemocratic, that I did not come from
an election. I’m not afraid of these words,
the more abuse I get, the more motivated
I am .”