Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked the Justice Ministry to re-examine the legal framework for the government's effort to strip Thaksin Shinawatra of his police lieutenant colonel rank after questions were raised by the Royal Thai Police.
"I'm not taking his [Thaksin's] side. I have to speak about this matter again because we have to review what the obstacles to the rank-stripping procedure could be. Some believe such a step can only apply to current police officials," Gen Prayut said Monday.
Asked if the government was concerned that stripping Thaksin of his rank might trigger a new wave of political tension, the prime minister said he was not worried about that.
He said the process began after Thaksin verbally damaged the country's reputation, which prompted calls for the government to take action.
Gen Prayut was referring to an interview by the former prime minister in Seoul in late May when Thaksin claimed privy councillors supported the coup last year that ousted the government of his sister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Gen Prayut called for some sympathy for state officials handling the rank-stripping proposal, saying they were working under pressure as the whole issue was a polarising one.
Police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang said Gen Prayut asked him Monday about progress on the matter, which is being processed by the Royal Thai Police. He told him it was a sensitive issue which needs careful handling.
