The government will mainly use ordinary laws in its handling of the country's problems and will resort to exercise the power of Section 44 in the interim constitution only as necessary, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Sunday.
Maj Gen Sansern said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as chairman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), thanked the people for their understanding and support for Section 44 to solve the country's problems as shown in the result of an opinion poll.
"The prime minister believes that the people want to see changes toward betterment because the country has long been plagued with many problems including dark influences, education and the entire judicial process.
"However, the government would like to give an assurance that it will use ordinary laws to solve ordinary problems.
"The government will resort to a special law only to expedite certain actions in handling cases which are complicated and time-consuming, such as in a search and arrest of mafia-type influential figures. If the actions are delayed, important evidence on wrongdoings may be hidden or destroyed. After action, those arrested will be brought into the normal justice process," Maj Gen Sansern said.
The spokesman said the government had so far exercised its power under Section 44 with discretion, such as in handling cases of corruption, land encroachment and brawls involving children and youths.