Thailand approves bill to consolidate military's influence

Thailand's parliament on Friday passed a bill that will determine the governments' policies over the next two decades and consolidate the military's influence in the country.

The National Legislative Assembly, members of which were handpicked by the military government, endorsed the national strategy bill with 218 votes in favour and none against, Efe news reported.

The bill is aimed at supporting the 20-year development plan pushed by the military junta that has ruled Thailand since the May 2014 coup.

The law will create a committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, in which military chiefs, business leaders and experts in various areas are also set to participate.

The committee will be in charge of drafting the plan, reviewing it every five years for the next 20 years, and supervising its implementation.

The plan will be obligatory for governments over the next two decades, including the one elected in the national polls that have been postponed by the military junta until at least 2018.

The strategic plan is based on the new constitution approved in the 2016 referendum, which consolidates the military's influence in the public sphere and weakens political parties and elected officials.

--IANS

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