General Prayuth may act as Thai PM

THAILAND - The NCPO will retain its present executive power even after the government is installed, a source close to Prayuth confirmed.

That means NCPO can overrule any decision made by the government, said the source, who argued that NCPO will ultimately be responsible on how the country is run.

The source suggested that it was likely that General Prayuth would continue to head the NCPO in the event he takes over as the prime minister.

A new government could start functioning in September, Prayuth said during his weekly TV programme on Friday night.

He said a provisional charter would be promulgated next month and a national legislative assembly would be set up about a month afterwards.

The government would work in parallel with the NCPO in order to ensure smooth functioning in running the country.

Thai  junta leader is likely to double as prime minister in an government to be set up in September, in order to avoid mistakes made by the 2006 coup leaders, a source in the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said yesterday.