Bangkok –
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O’Cha insisted on Monday, June 21st, that the government still needed to extend the emergency decree as its law is still mandatory to solve the potential renewed spread of Covid-19.
He spoke after the Move Forward Party urged the government to cancel the Emergency Decree after another extension would end in July. Party MP Rangsiman Rome also claimed that the law has been used to take legal action against pro-democracy protesters rather than curbing the spread of the virus.
Moreover, he said the decree would no longer be mandatory as the government had eased several Covid-19 restrictions, including removing mask mandate restrictions and health screening in public areas.
The Prime Minister then said in response that the Decree is still in place and must consider its rationale and necessity in line with the current situation. They would also have to consider if the emergency decree is lifted, would whether the public health laws alone would be able to control the situation or not.
Prayut said: “Everyone knows that the use of the Emergency Decree involves all departments, including civilian, police, and military personnel, in order to manage the situation. Therefore, the government needed to thoroughly consider if it was necessary or not, depending on the situation.”
The PM dismissed claims by critics that the decree was being held onto as a way to more easily prosecute and stop pro-democracy protests or protests against his government in general, stating it was only being used to stop the spread of Covid-19.
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