The Thai junta has issued a new order to expand the definition of ‘Assistant Peace-keeping Officer’ and the authority to appoint Peace-keeping Officers and Assistant Peace-keeping Officers.   

Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, last Friday issued Order No. 5/2015 of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to amend Article 2 of Order No. 3/2015, which was issued as a replacement for martial law under Section 44 of the 2014 Interim Constitution.

NCPO Order No. 5/2015 was published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday.     

Article 2 of Order 3/2015, stated that military officers with the rank of Sub-Lieutenant (Army or Navy), Pilot Officer or above may be appointed by the Head of the NCPO as ‘Peace-keeping Officers’ to act in accordance with NCPO orders and similarly military officers of lower rank may be appointed as ‘Assistant Peace-keeping Officers’.

Order No. 5/2015 makes clear that ‘regular military personnel, military recruits and ranger volunteers’ may be appointed as ‘Assistant Peace-keeping Officers’.

Order No. 5/2015 also gives the authority to appoint Peace-keeping Officers and Assistant Peace-keeping Officers to anyone authorized to do so by the Head of the NCPO.  Previously, this authority rested with the Head of the NCPO alone.

Last week, the junta issued NCPO’s Order No. 4/2015, which states that cabinet ministers, all of whom were chosen by junta chairman, Gen. Prayut, can ask the Minister of Defence to assign military officers to assist with law enforcement duties.