THAILAND’S new temporary constitution allows the leader of the ruling junta to become interim prime minister and gives the military government sweeping powers in the run-up to a planned Oct. 2015 election, a senior army official said yesterday.

    The document adopted Tuesday is the first step toward restoring electoral democracy in Thailand, two months after the army took power in a coup, but the junta will continue to hold substantial power even after an interim Cabinet and legislature take office in September.

    The new 48-article charter also lays out the process by which a new permanent constitution will be drafted and adopted.

    Although the interim charter is supposed to pave the way for civilian rule, it gives the junta — officially called the National Council for Peace and Order — what amounts to supreme power over political developments. It also legalizes all actions the junta has taken since the coup, as well as the takeover itself.

    While the charter gives the military rulers almost supreme authority over politics, Wissanu Krea-ngam, a legal adviser to the junta, said yesterday that the military would handle only peacekeeping and security matters, even though the interim constitution clearly gives it the final word on all important issues.

    According to deputy army commander Gen. Paiboon Kumchaya, junta leader and army commander in chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha can serve as interim prime minister under the new rules.

    Wissanu said that even though the constitution allows Prayuth to become prime minister, it will be up to the National Legislative Assembly to choose the interim premier.

    (SD-Agencies)