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‘Thai coup aimed at saving democracy’

Thai junta chief and Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said that the coup staged by the army was aimed at saving democracy and made it clear that he will not lift the martial law as it could lead to political turmoil.

“Thai democracy will never die, because I’m a soldier with a democratic heart. I have taken over the power because I want democracy to live on,” PM Prayut said on Wednesday. He claimed that the situation in Thailand was unique, as nowhere else was a coup staged to restore democracy.

“We are building democracy every day. I did not seize power to give money away to this or that person or take it as my own property,” said Gen Prayut, who seized power last year ousting Yingluck Shinawatra, the country’s first woman prime minister, in a bloodless military coup.

“Although this govt came from a seizure of power, it happened because there was no (effective) govt (at the time). Though there was a govt, it was as good as not having one. Where was Yingluck Shinawatra? She couldn’t perform her duty because she had been removed by the Constitution Court,” Gen Prayut said. Insisting that the people should recognise that Thailand is still free, Prayut said he could have exercised his power as leader and placed former Premier Yingluck under house arrest.
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