Thai Junta Chief Takes Title of Premier to Add Legitimacy
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Thailand’s military ruler Prayuth Chan-Ocha has already given himself absolute power as head of the junta that controls the country. Now he’s looking to add legitimacy by taking on the role of prime minister.
It will be tough to convince critics that his appointment to the premiership today by his hand-picked legislature is anything more than the consolidation of power by a junta that has used the threat of detention and military trial to crack down on all dissent since ousting the elected government on May 22, in the country’s 12th coup in 82 years.