Pro-election activists have stepped up their campaign, demanding that the military junta step down, with the government downgraded to caretaker status ahead of the general election.
About 200 people gathered at the football field on the Tha Phrachan campus of Thammasat University on Saturday evening under the watchful eye of 45 policemen.
Rangsiman Rome, a co-leader, reiterated the group's demand that polls be held in November instead of February “at the latest” as promised by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
“The Prayut government must act as a caretaker one and the NCPO [National Council for Peace and Order] must be dissolved. Remove the military from politics and the election can proceed smoothly,” he said.
Sirawich “Ja New” Seritiwat also said the NCPO must cease its duties.
“We can exist without the NCPO because there’s no guarantee an election under it will be free and fair," he said. "Only a caretaker government is enough. If we don’t have freedom of expression, a fair election can’t take place. We won’t allow it to be held under the absolute power of Gen Prayut.
“He [Gen Prayut] should show sincerity by dissolving the NCPO and scrapping its many orders and announcements as proof a free and fair election can take place.
“We offer this as an exit strategy. If the NCPO agrees, everything’s possible. But if it doesn’t, we might step up our campaigns to oust it."
The activists subsequently took turns addressing the crowd while symbolic activities involving cutouts of tanks and posters urging the “eradication of the NCPO’s fibrous roots before the tap root takes hold”.
The last two organic laws required before the countdown to a general election begins were passed on Thursday. The National Legislative Assembly is holding them until Tuesday in case some minority lawmakers want to file a petition to challenge their constitutionality before the Constitutional Court, an unlikely scenario given the pre-election mood that has begun to take hold.
Registrations of new political parties began last week and so far more than 50 groups have come forward.
If no petition is filed, the bills will be submitted to the prime minister on Wednesday to seek royal approval. Royal approval could take up to 90 days, and once it is granted the 150-day countdown to the polls will begin.
The NCPO is expected to meet with political parties in June, or sooner if His Majesty signs the laws before then, to set the election date, which could be at any time within the 150-day period.
A "watchman" makes his point about Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon's expensive and undeclared collection.
The sign says: "Sign up here to demand normalcy".
"Remove the military from politics and the election can proceed smoothly,” says Rangsiman Rome (second from right).
