Thai PM refuses to resign despite month-long protests

During a special two-day parliamentary session, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha rejected the demands of opposition parties thereby discussing the month’s long protest asking for his resignation and changes to the powerful monarchy.

On Tuesday, the former military ruler stated, “I will not run away from problems. I will not leave my duty by resigning at a time when the country has problems”. The whole upper house of Parliament is picked by the army.

Mass demonstrations that have taken large numbers of people to the streets since mid-July have been the biggest obstacle in years for an establishment near the Royal Palace that has traditionally been governed by military men.

Since the beginning of demonstrations that have shattered a taboo to question the dictatorship, King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Palace has refrained from commenting.

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Pryuth has referred to the protests as illegal and thinks that they need to be managed and taken into proper control.

The Prime Minister told, “Though the people have the freedom to protest based on the Constitution, authorities need to control the illegal protests.”

The Prime Minister further added while blaming some of the protestors for their “inappropriate actions” and told, “We do not want to see clashes or riots in the country”.

Parliament’s opposition members ordered Prayuth to stop hiding behind assertions of allegiance to the throne and resign immediately. His opponents said he had orchestrated the elections last year to maintain the influence he gained in 2014. He also said the vote had been fair.

The party secretary of opposition Pheu Thai party, Prasert Jantararuangthong said, “You’ve been in power for six-and-a-half years – five years under your coup and one-and-a-half years when you gained benefit from an undemocratic constitution”.

“I call for General Prayut to resign as premier, which would be a solution to solve all problems,” he concluded.