Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the prime ministerial candidate of the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), on Monday appealed for the opportunity to continue as premier for another two years so that he could ensure the continuity of development projects under his outgoing government.
The prime minister was speaking at a gathering of voters in Kut Chap district of the northeastern province of Udon Thani, dubbed by some as the capital of supporters of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) who see themselves as political opponents of the military-installed government.
Gen Prayut was delivering a rally speech in support of the UTN's election candidates running in the May 14 election in the district -- Phadungsak Hinchan, Nithit Prakobsai and Songkitti Suwannathong.
Despite several achievements his government has accomplished over the past years, Gen Prayut said a number of tasks remain incomplete.
"That's why I have to stay on two more years to tie up all the loose ends before passing on the responsibility of leading the country to a new generation," he said.
The Constitutional Court last year ruled Gen Prayut's eight-year tenure as PM started on April 6, 2017, when the current charter was promulgated, not when he assumed office following the 2014 coup he orchestrated.
Under the ruling, if he were re-elected as prime minister by a joint sitting of parliament after the May 14 general election, Gen Prayut would only be eligible to remain in office until 2025.
In the same rally speech, Gen Prayut likened himself to a highly experienced captain with Thailand as an aircraft and voters as passengers.
"Will you trust an old captain with considerable experience like me or a young pilot to fly this aircraft?" asked Gen Prayut.
What he aims to continue if he returns as prime minister after the May 14 election, he said, is accelerate the government's development projects to generate more income while attracting more international investors to Thailand.
"We are all entitled to the right to live our lives equally and receive equal opportunities. That's what I must do for all Thais," he said.
Gen Prayut, however, said there is one thing he would like to point out to the young people who wish to see a radical change in society overnight; at the very least, they must learn from the past revolutions in the kingdom.
"A country's development takes time. More importantly, none of the nation's main institutions, including religions, the monarchy and all members of the public, should be ignored," he said.
He urged voters who trusted him to continue leading the government after the election to only support the UTN and its candidates and not believe any political parties which claim they will later support Gen Prayut to return as prime minister if they win the election.
Gen Prayut said he is now with only the UTN, and the only way to support him is to vote for the party.
"The UTN treats everyone equally in all policies. We do not hold a bias for or against anyone, no matter what. No matter where they live, everyone is a Thai, and I aim to help them all," he said.
He also cautioned every voter to think hard about whether campaign promises made by various political parties are realistic or too good to be true.
"What if they later fail to fulfil their promises? While they keep promising to give this and that, they haven't mentioned exactly from where funding will come, have they?" he said.
Gen Prayut outlined some of his government's important achievements while in power, including several transport infrastructure development projects, suppressing illegal drugs, and improving public welfare for vulnerable groups.
He also spoke of strengthening international relations, particularly with Saudi Arabia. This was resolved after 32 years of strained ties, with both nations agreeing in January to fully restore diplomatic relations.
