Despite his lack of legal knowledge, the junta leader has said that he will draft another constitution himself if the draft charter is rejected in the August referendum, adding that there is nothing he cannot do as he already passed parachute training in the military. 

On Monday, 11 July 2016, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the PM and junta head, said that if the August draft constitution referendum fails, he will draft another by himself, adding that he could do anything since he already underwent military parachute training, Thairath reported.

“If things remain unsettled, I will draft it [the constitution] myself, not as I wish, but as the people want it to be. And let’s see if it passes or not,” said Gen Prayut. “There is nothing in this world I can’t do. As a soldier, I’ve been through a lot, risking my life so many times. When I was in the infantry at the 21st Military Circle, I underwent parachute training. I had to jump and land by myself. Once I deployed the parachute, I knew that I can do anything. My life is under my control.”

Gen Prayut also rebutted allegations that the charter draft will remove Thailand’s universal healthcare policy and 15 years of free education, saying that the allegations came from those who want to instigate political conflict by distorting the draft content, reported Thairath.

As usual, the junta head also urged the media to report on the junta’s good stories so the world could understand that the Thai junta was different from juntas in the rest of the world as it came into power bloodlessly, adding that the junta never use their power under the Interim Charter arbitrarily, but rather proportionately to the country’s need.

Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha (source: Thairath)