Emergency possible if political tension rises
Council for National Security (CNS) chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin yesterday did not rule out ordering a state of emergency if politics turns turbulent this month and next.
"April and May will be a political turning point because the public will see concrete results from our four main policies," he said. Sonthi said corruption cases under the Assets Examination Committee and the National Counter Corruption Commission investigation would be wrapped up. There will be an Election Tribunal decision in cases of electoral fraud, too. Some political groups will protest decisions in these cases and try to discredit the government and erode confidence in the CNS, he said. "Their goal is to create political unrest and claim the government and the CNS have failed to run the country." He added the government must keep a "watchful eye" on the political temperature this month and next. "The government will have to impose a state of emergency if the situation forces it." He predicted politics would cool after May. Sonthi argued the country's economy was strong and said exports rose over the past quarter and imports continued to drop. He said the country was witnessing a slower growth rate "because everyone is aware of the sufficiency economy". "Everyone should feel at ease [about the economy]. People have money but they aren't spending it. This makes it look as if the economy is contracting. But it is not. Everyone is exercising the sufficiency philosophy," he said.
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