The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prayuth Chan-ocha

  • Thailand’s crown prince returns, to become King Rama X

    Thailand’s crown prince returns, to become King Rama X

    Thailand’s Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, returned to Bangkok on Thursday, two days after parliament said it would invite him to become the country’s new king following the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

    The prince would meet with the head of parliament, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, following a Buddhist rite marking 50 days since the king’s death.

    He is expected to formally accept parliament’s invitation to ascend the throne.

    According to a palace schedule, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and Prem Tinsulanonda, a former head of the royal advisory council who has been standing in as regent, will also be in attendance.

    According to two senior military officials with knowledge of the matter, the prince arrived in Bangkok from Germany.

    “We can confirm that His Majesty arrived safely this morning,’’ a senior military official who asked not to named, said.

    The prince, who will be known as King Rama X, or the 10th king of the 234-year-old Chakri Dynasty, must formally accept the invitation from parliament before he can be proclaimed king.

    According to palace protocol, an official announcement from the royal household is expected to come soon afterwards.

    Thailand has been without a monarch since King Bhumibol died on Oct. 13.

    The monarchy has been run by 96-year-old regent Prem after the prince asked to delay the succession in order to grieve.

    King Bhumibol, who was the longest-serving head of state in the world when he died at the age of 88, was instrumental in reviving the prestige of the monarchy.

    He was widely seen as a stabilising force through an era of rapid change and decades of often violent political upheaval.

    A Thai lese-majeste, or royal insult law criminalises anything deemed to be an insult to the monarchy.

    The law has curtailed public discussion about the succession, the future of the monarchy or criticism about the crown prince.

    Prime Minister Prayuth said on Tuesday a year-long mourning period for King Bhumibol would not affect a general election scheduled for 2017.

  • Chief suspect in Bangkok bombing case arrested

    Thai Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, said that authorities have arrested the main suspect in a terrorist attack in Bangkok that killed 20 people and injured more than 100 in August.

    He said on Tuesday in Bangkok that the suspect, a foreigner, was arrested on the Thai-Cambodian border.

    “He is foreigner, not Thai,” he said.

    Many of the casualties in the August 17 bombing at a popular religious shrine in the centre of the capital were foreign tourists.

  • Bangkok bombing was Thailand’s worst attack – PM

    Bangkok bombing was Thailand’s worst attack – PM

    Thailand’s Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, has said the bombing of a shrine in the capital, Bangkok, on Monday was the “worst ever attack” on the country.

    The attack killed at least 20 people, including at least eight foreigners. Scores were injured, the BBC reports.

    Mr. Prayuth said the perpetrators had not been identified, but that police is investigating one suspect seen on security footage at the shrine.

    The bomb targeted the Erawan Hindu shrine, a major tourist attraction.

    It was detonated at about 19:00 local time (12:00 GMT) on Monday when the shrine, and the Ratchaprasong junction where it is located, were crowded.

    “This is the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand,” Mr. Prayuth said.

    “There have been minor bombs or just noise, but this time they aim for innocent lives. They want to destroy our economy, our tourism.”

    Authorities are now examining video footage taken from several CCTV cameras around the shrine for clues, the BBC says.

    They say they are looking for one young man who appears to walk into the shrine wearing a black backpack, but is then seen walking without it.

    Members of the public are also handing in their own video coverage.

  • Thai coup receives royal endorsement

    Thai coup receives royal endorsement

    Thailand’s military leader has received royal endorsement at a ceremony in the capital, Bangkok, after taking power in a coup last week.

    Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha was formally appointed to run the nation at the army headquarters.

    The 86-year-old monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, did not attend the ceremony.

    The military seized power in the South East Asian nation last week, saying it planned to return stability to Thailand after months of unrest.

    The move followed six months of political deadlock as protesters tried to oust the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. At least 28 people were killed and several hundred injured over the course of the protests. But the coup – which removed an elected government – has drawn widespread international criticism.

    Small anti-coup protests took place in Bangkok over the weekend, despite a military ban on gatherings of more than five people.

    Experts have also warned that the coup is unlikely to heal divisions in a nation in which politics have become highly polarised.

    Gen Prayuth, dressed in white military uniform, received the royal endorsement on Monday morning.

    “To restore peace and order in the country and for sake of unity, the king appointed Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha as head of the National Council of Peace and Order to run the country,” the royal command seen by AFP news agency said.

    The monarchy is highly respected and royal endorsement is seen as key to legitimising the takeover.

    Speaking afterwards, Gen Prayuth said the most important thing was “to keep peace and order in the country’’.

    Elections would take place as soon as possible, he said, but gave no timeframe. He also said he would have no choice but to use force if protests continued.

    The ruling junta is expected to set up a national legislative assembly that will draw up a temporary constitution with a new prime minister.

    Since taking power the military has summoned and detained dozens of key political figures, including Ms Yingluck. Journalists and academics are also among those who have been called in.