The Defence Council has passed an amended draft of the Defence Ministry Administration Act that allows a prime minister to suspend any military personnel involved in planning a military coup.
According to Defence spokesman Rear Admiral Thanitpong Sirisawetsak, this amended draft as well as the draft of the Military Court Authority Act, which was approved by the council on Thursday, will be submitted to the Secretariat of the Cabinet for cabinet approval.
The new Defence Ministry Administration Act was proposed by Defence Minister Sutin Klungsaeng on April 19, according to Jamnong Chaimongkol, the caretaker vice minister of defence.
The source added the council had concluded the amendment approval just in time before the Constitutional Court ordered the removal of former prime minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday.
Mr Jamnong said the amended law would enable the premier to issue a suspension order immediately if the investigation reveals that any personnel have been involved in trying to organise coups or political unrest.
Mr Jamnong said the ministry, as well as the Pheu Thai Party, had planned to do this for some time before Mr Sutin assumed his post.
The move was based on a discussion among the democratic alliance parties and has received no opposition from any leaders of the armed forces, he added.
The act also amended Section 25 on appointing general-ranked personnel and related sectors by adding more qualifications for personnel appointed to the rank.
The amended act now specifies that they are not involved in illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, or association with local mafia groups. They must not be contractors for the ministry or subject to disciplinary or legal investigations during the talks about their appointment.
For the amended Military Court Authority Act, Mr Jamnong said it would cancel the Provincial Military Courts and enable any defendants to petition directly to the Military Court at any time, except during war.
In related news, Mr Sutin said he received this year's appointment lists from the leaders of the armed forces, adding he still has the authority to seek royal endorsement. He said as long as the new government has not been set up, the ministry's caretaker administrators can do everything as required by law including discussing and editing the appointment lists.
However, the caretakers will not initiate new policies or begin to commit to a budget, he added.
When asked about his future, Mr Sutin said the Pheu Thai board aims to keep him in his current position, but he said any changes would be acceptable.
