PM blasts media over royal changes

PM blasts media over royal changes

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was irate with the media over how they reported the details of just how the King passed his observations on the junta's pending constitution to the government. (File photo by Thanarak Khunton)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was irate with the media over how they reported the details of just how the King passed his observations on the junta's pending constitution to the government. (File photo by Thanarak Khunton)

A furious Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted Thursday that His Majesty the King did not ask the government to amend the new constitution as reported by the media.

He also lambasted the media for presenting such stories.

Speaking to reporters, Gen Prayut said reading the news stories angered him as he had never said the King had asked the government to amend the new charter awaiting royal endorsement.

He accused the local media of feeding off foreign media reports, saying this had caused damage, without elaborating.

"How could you report that the King had asked the government to amend the charter? It's not true," he told a press gathering.

Reporters responded by saying that the prime minister had said on Tuesday that the King had advised that there were three to four provisions that need to be amended to fit in with the monarch's power.

"I said His Majesty had spoken to the Privy Council, not directly to the government," Gen Prayut retorted.

The Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary sent a letter about the King's observations to the government and the government agreed to make changes to the constitution of its own accord, he said.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will today deliberate the amendment bill for the interim charter.

NLA chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said the assembly is expected to pass amendments to the interim charter in three straight readings today.

The interim charter amendment bill is intended to allow the government to ask for the new constitution back from the King so revisions can be made.

CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan said on Wednesday that Section 18 of the new charter will likely be changed.

The section allows the Privy Council president to automatically serve as regent pro tempore when the King does not appoint a regent when he is abroad or cannot carry out his duties.

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