Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as head of the junta, officially known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), issued his last executive order today, under Section 44 of the interim Constitution, to revoke about 100 NCPO orders, some concerning media restrictions and military courts.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that Mr. Wirat Rattanaseth, the government chief whip, met him yesterday to enquire about the NCPO orders, which are still enforceable, and to ask how many of them should be scrapped.
He said about 100 would be revoked today, leaving those which are still necessary and are bound to the working processes of the lower House and some other organizations until new laws are enacted to ensure their continued operation.
Prime Minister Prayut also held the last meeting of the junta-appointed cabinet at the Government House today.
An informed government source said that the Prime Minister wanted his new cabinet to meet immediately, possibly next week, after all the ministers are sworn into office, to discuss the government’s policies. The new cabinet will continue to hold monthly mobile meetings around the country to enable the Prime Minister to monitor the implementation of the government’s policies.
The source also said that the Prime Minister wants the new interior minister to undertake an inspection trip to the southern province of Yala straight after the government has presented its policy statement to parliament.
Agriculture Minister Krisda Boonrach said the Prime Minister thanked and blessed all his ministers during the last cabinet meeting, adding that he welcomed their phone calls if they run into problems and need his counsel.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister joined his cabinet in a group photo as a reminder of their team work and presented each minister with a silver coin of HM the King as a souvenir.
