PM warns that election may be postponed if there is no peace in the country

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha indicated that election might not be held in accordance with the political roadmap if there is no peace and order in the country.

“How can election be held if there are still bombings and the use of war weapons, conflicts among the people and the same old problems?” the prime minister asked, adding: “I cannot dictate myself; everyone must cooperate to advance toward the same destination.

He asked the people not to let the government to set everything. “I used to say that as quick as possible and if that cannot be done, the people must say so. I cannot force everybody to walk toward democracy,” he said.

When asked by a report can the government set a definite date of the election, the prime minister shot back asking why it is necessary to be that specific. He, however, stated that the roadmap didn’t specify the exact date for the election but he assured that everything must go in accordance with the roadmap.

But he noted that the election must be postponed because the government had to take care of the cremation for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Asked whether he would contest the election, he said that he didn’t know yet.

The prime minister warned provincial administrations not to expect that they could get big amounts of budget for the development of their respective provinces because the government doesn’t know where to get the money to meet all their wishes.

He said that the government would set the priority about which villages are in need of help first as in the way the government is helping the poor people.

He complained that there were still criticisms against the government that it had failed to address the poverty problem because the number of poor people seeking government help had increased from four million to about 14 million.

He explained that the number of people registering as poor people in order to be eligible to help from the government because they were too ashamed to register last year for being branded as the poor, but they have changed their mind after having realized that the government was sincere in helping the poor.

Thai PBS

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