General Sonthi declares the CNS’s achievements in the three months since the coup yesterday.

Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin yesterday reiterated that he and the CNS have no political ambitions.

Moreover, it will complete the selection of the 100 members of the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) within the next few weeks.

Sonthi said the CNS will next select 10 patriots to be members of the drafting committee so that the CDA can convene in January.

While declaring the achievements of the CNS in the past three months after the military coup on September 19, Sonthi said the CNS had achieved almost 100 per cent of its goals within the set time frame.

The CNS, formerly the Council for Democratic Reform, completed drafting of the interim constitution within two weeks as it promised, Sonthi said. The Prime Minister's appointment on October 1 and the Cabinet members' appointment on October 8 were also as planned.

Likewise, the selection of the 242 members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) finished on October 11, the selection of the 1,982 members of the National People's Assembly (NPA) on December 9 and the selection of the nominees for the CDA on December 18 followed the schedule, he said.

From September 19-30, the CNS received 500 complaints from government officials and people about corruption and unfair treatment in the last government, he said.

It appointed the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) and the National Counter-Corruption Commission (NCCC) to investigate corruption, he said. The CNS never interfered in the work of the agencies. The AEC had been investigating 13 cases related to the last government.

It could be able to conclude its investigation into some cases such as the CTX9000 scanner and Shin Corp share sale by the end of this month, he said.

Meanwhile, the NCCC had been investigating irregularities related to government officials, including the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) and computer procurement for 818 hospitals nationwide, he said.

To show the world community that Thailand still respects human rights, the CNS lifted the prohibition of political gatherings of five people or more and lifted martial law in 41 provinces around the country, Sonthi said.

In its responsibility for national security, the CNS had revived the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre to create justice in society.

The CNS also shows its loyalty to the monarchy by organising activities to celebrate His Majesty the King's 80th birthday next December and promoting the King's advice to people, he said.

Panya Thiewsangwan

The Nation