Thailand's interim government to use special laws to solve pressing problems

BANGKOK, August 23 (TNA) - Thailand's incoming interim government may use special laws to address pressing problems, with the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to be responsible for implementing the special laws. Thai Army and NCPO Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was unanimously selected as Thailand’s interim prime minister by National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members earlier this week, told the public of the policy during his weekly address on Friday night. General Prayuth explained that the NCPO and the interim government will consider which problems should be jointly resolved by them, while some pressing issues, namely corruption, ways to boost the national competitiveness, solutions to the poverty problem in the short-term, narcotics and natural resources encroachment, may have to use “special authority and laws" in dealing with them. General Prayuth insisted that there will be no complexity in solving problems by both the interim government and the NCPO. On the ongoing screening of people applying for members of the National Reform Council (NRC), the junta chief revealed that 600-700 candidates have applied in Bangkok so far, and that finally, only 173 persons will be chosen plus 77 others representing 77 provinces throughout the country. According to the junta chief, the NRC members will then be tasked with reforming 11 fields in Thailand. The junta chief, meanwhile, is scheduled to chair the first meeting of the committee tasked with selecting NRC members on September 4, while the selection process of all NRC members is expected to be completed by September 22, 2014. (TNA)