NCPO to immediately enlist student brawlers

BANGKOK, July 2 (TNA) -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NPCO) has come with a solution to immediately enlist any student brawlers after they were caught to help reduce youths violence in the society. Col Piyapong Kilnphan, NCPO spokesman, said after the meeting of the Administration Reform and Steering Committee, which was presided over by Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, yesterday, that the committee had agreed that brawlers, usually found to be at the ages between 18-20 years old, once caught for fighting, should be immediately put on the blacklist for military enlisting and would be enlisted straight away after their graduations without having to go through the normal selection procedure. The committee is currently looking into the legal side of the process to find out whether the measure would be possible to implement or not. An order by NCPO, issued on June 21 and signed by the Prime Minister, in his capacity of as the NCPO Chief, said legal measures should be meted out to help alleviate public plights from the impact of students brawls, and reduce the loss in lives and properties of the brawlers. The prime minister would like the students and the society to be aware of the sanctity of laws, and wants them to think before committing any violent action that could put their parents and themselves into trouble. Nevertheless, Gen Prayuth reiterated that the measure does not solve the problem from the root causes, but would only help to suppress violent actions from students, noting that it must be implemented with other undertakings to address the roots of the problems. NCPO has taken control of state administration since May 22, 2014 because of the prolonged political deadlock, long-running protests, and violence. The caretaker government was unable to perform their duties effectively. (END)