The Thai junta issued a new order to expand its authority, allowing itself to grant anyone power to main national security.
Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, on last Friday authorised Order No. 5/2015 of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to amend Article 2 of Order No. 3/2015, which was issued to replace the martial law with Section 44 of the 2014 Interim Charter.
NCPO’s Order No. 5/2015 was published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday.
According to the now amended Article 2 of Order 3/2015, a "Peace-keeping Officer" refers to a military officer with the rank of Lieutenant or Midshipman or Pilot Officer or above, appointed by the Head of the NCPO to act in accordance with NCPO’s orders and an "Assistant Peace-keeping Officer" refers to a military officer of lower rank than a Lieutenant or Midshipman or Pilot Officer appointed by the Head of the NCPO.
According to iLaw, this means that the junta can now assign virtually anyone to become peace-keeping officers or peace-keeping assistants even if such persons do not come from the military background.
Last week, the junta issued NCPO’s Order No. 4/2015, which states that the cabinet ministers, all of whom were chosen by junta chairman, Gen. Prayuth, can ask the Minister of Defense, to assign military officers to assist with law enforcement duties.