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Thai PM mulls lifting martial law

Xinhua, March 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o- cha said on Friday that he was planning to lift the martial law and replace it with a controversial section from the interim charter.

He did not reveal when the martial law, enforced since the coup in May last year, would be lifted, only saying that it would depend on the situation.

The decision to lift the martial law was his own decision and he would take full responsibility for it, Prayut was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying.

There is no need to consult the cabinet, Prayut, concurrently chairman of the coup-making National Council for Peace and Order ( NCPO), said after a cabinet meeting in Hua Hin.

The lifting of the martial law will require endorsement from the king.

According to the premier, the martial law will be replaced by Section 44 of the interim constitution, which many have criticized for granting the NCPO chairman"absolute power."

Section 44 authorizes the NCPO leader to issue any order or direct any action to be done or not to be done, irrespective of whether the order or action would produce legislative, executive or judicial effect, for the sake of national security, reform and unity. Those orders or actions, as well as their observance, shall be deemed lawful, constitutional and final. Endi