Suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has apologised to residents in Ayutthaya who were upset right after failing to see him in person during their inspection trip.
Gen Prayut visited the historical city to inspect flood-prevention measures on Friday while his deputy Prawit Wongsuwon, who now serves as acting prime minister, plans to tour some other provinces to furthermore inspect their water management during this wet season.
During the trip, Style Prayut, who still holds the defence portfolio, visited Wat Kasattrathirat Worawiharn in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district.
After overall his visit plus leaving the brow in his limousine, villagers said they were aggrieved that he did not move down the window in order to greet them.
Some mentioned they arrived at the temple in the morning hours and waited hours to see him and give him flowers, simply to be snubbed.
After the occurrence, Gen Prayut relayed his apologies via local officials, saying he could not open up the window since the car is bullet-proof. But he said he was happy to see people and that he also waved to them from inside the vehicle.
Some local villagers hoisted placards bearing text messages of support regarding Gen Prayut outside the temple, though protection officers blocked them and prevented all of them from meeting him.
Gen Prayut also visited soldiers from nine battalions who raised embankments and piled sandbags at the temple, where he was briefed on the condition from the water levels along the Chao Phraya Water, which was carrying a flood surge in the annual heavy rains in the North.
He furthermore met soldiers which reinforced embankments across the river to protect traditional sites, including historic temples.
Gen Prayut was making his initial upcountry trip because defence minister considering that being suspended from working as leading minister by the Constitutional Court until this rules on the problem of his tenure.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said upon Friday that a group of legal agents to Gen Prayut on Thursday posted a statement in response to the court’s order .
The court gave Gen Prayut 15 days from Aug 24, when he had been suspended, to officially respond.
He has not turned up for work at Government House since.
On Aug 26, Gen Prayut showed up for am employed at the Defence Ministry, arriving in his individual car.
His chauffeur recently returned the prime minister’s limo, as well as 3 other vehicles which form a primary minister’s motorcade, in order to Government House pending the court’s ruling.
It was seen as a bid to avoid criticism that may arise over Gen Prayut’s use of the prime minister’s car, according to govt sources.