I don't think Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is one of our country's worst prime ministers, but I do however believe, in principle, that by breaking his promise not to stay on in power any longer than was stated in the original roadmap will do him more harm than good.
Last week, Gen Prayut dropped a hint that he may have to extend his tenure in order to "set certain rules and regulations" before placing Thailand in full democratic mode.
In fact, an amendment to the interim charter to delay the roadmap is being seen as a poor excuse, to say the least. Now the NRC is trying to convince the public they need the army chief-turned-premier for at least another two years.
It's more than a coincidence that certain figures in the business sector have called for political stability. These people joined thousands of middle-class folk who took to the streets in the Bangkok Shutdown campaign led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee — a move aimed at ousting Yingluck Shinawatra and uprooting the Shinawatra clan that ended up with the military coup on May 22 last year.
The NRC, the charter drafters and other coup-installed bodies have always claimed they don't want the coup to be "a waste" while there is speculation that some members are reaping or are set to reap benefits from their ties with the regime. There are attempts by some senior NRC and Constitution Drafting Committee members to transform themselves into a new body in the draft constitution.
Gen Prayut needs to study Thai contemporary history and listen to his critics, not just the sugar-coated words from his "yes men". Others in the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), especially Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who has been dubbed the co-premier by foreign diplomats and people in the business sector, should do so as well.
Many Thais are watching what's going on in silence and it's not because they agree with what the generals are doing amid the regime's mismanagement of the economy. Despite harassment and threats, their defiant spirit remains strong, their patience is running thin and these people will rise up if the military clings on to its power.
Some scholars such as Chaing Mai University's law lecturer Somchai Preechasilapakul and Chulalongkorn University's political scientist Prapas Pintoptang have warned that a referendum must not be held for issues like extending the term of a premier, and because Gen Prayut was not elected some have noted that voting for the extension of his tenure would make him a "de facto president" and he could handpick anyone to join the next cabinet.
My suggestion would be to hold a referendum on the draft constitution with these choices: One, accept the draft charter and allow the newly elected MPs to consider amendments. Two, reject the draft charter and allow the government to use the interim charter and call the election — the next elected batch should decide the timeframe of charter amendments or a new draft. Three, reject the draft charter and choose either the 1997 or 2007 versions until a new charter is drafted.
In any case, the current charter drafters must quit their roles and leave the matter to elected MPs to deal with. The MPs would then decide if they want to maintain this charter or if they want to appoint new drafters to rewrite/amend the 2015 charter.
Within the above-mentioned scenario, the current leaders could still hang on to power for another year or so, while the coup networks would still have time to transform themselves by joining newly created bodies such as the provincial civic assembly and the national ethics committee, or applying for positions at agencies stipulated in the 1997 charter — the National Legal Reform Committee, the National Human Rights Commission or the Ombudsman.
Therefore, we would see Gen Prayut and his regime work within a clear timeframe, which would give the prime minister the chance to exit politics with grace.
Achara Ashayagachat is senior news reporter, Bangkok Post.