BANGKOK, Jan 30 — More critics of the current government were summoned for talks with senior army officers today, with military authorities say is designed to change their negative attitudes regarding the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) which seized power in Thailand on May 22 last year.
Nattawut Saikua, a key leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), which sided with the previous government which was toppled in the military takeover, was called in for talks with a representative of the NCPO.
He was released after about an hour and returned home.
Mr Nattawut told journalists after the talks ended that he had flanked talks with NCPO representatives and there was “neither threats nor [a] stern attitude” from the military officers.
He said they had exchanged views and had reached a conclusion with them on providing cooperation in order to “avoid confrontation and chaos” in the country.
Reiterating that he would remain unchanged, Mr Nattawut said he would take responsibility in what he would do in future and that he had told the officers during the talks that he had “no intention to obstruct or oppose” the government and what he had said was just his own opinion.
An NCPO representative later collected former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan at his home in central Bangkok for a similar purpose.
Mr Pichai earlier criticised the Prayut government’s policy on energy, saying it would be without effect if the government scrapped its plan to open bidding for a new round of petroleum concessions.
Mr Pichai told journalists before boarding a bus and heading for talks that he was prepared to explain to NCPO and even to the prime minister on every subject, not only on regarding energy.
Yesterday, NCPO officials summoned former education minister Jaturon Chaisang and ex-deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul for such talks.
Military officers spent about three hours in talking with them at the First Army Region Command, responsible for security affairs in Bangkok and the Central provinces.
Upset by negative comments against the NCPO and his government, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that the NCPO would summon anyone making comments that could stir political conflict in the country. (MCOT online news)
