Bangkok, July 23 (IANS): Thailand's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Wednesday disclosed details of an interim charter which grants amnesty to coup makers and empowers the military chief to give orders when deemed necessary.
The 48-section interim charter was endorsed by the king and was promulgated Tuesday, the Bangkok Post reported.
The new interim charter includes a special stipulation which allows for amendments giving the NCPO special powers to deal with “uncontrollable situations”.
The final section of the interim charter - Section 48 - grants amnesty to NCPO members and anyone acting on its orders following the May 22 coup that seized power from the Yingluck Shinawatra government.
The charter also stipulates the establishment of a national legislative assembly (NLA), interim cabinet, national reform council, as well as a committee that will draft a permanent constitution.
It stipulates that the NLA, consisting of not more than 220 members, be set up to assume the responsibilities of the House of Representatives and Senate.
The NCPO will select resourceful and experienced figures from various sectors of the society to become NLA members, who will then be endorsed by the king.
The members should be aged above 40 and serve no posts in any political parties for the past three years.
The NLA will nominate an interim prime minister, who will then be appointed by the king.
The interim PM will select 35 cabinet members at most.