Thai Prime Minister abandons plan to establish Ministry of Internal Security

PoliceThailand guards outside the apartment complex where the Erawan Shrine bombing suspect was arrested. (Source: AFP/VNA)

On September 17, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha decided to suspend plans to establish a new Ministry of Internal Security to deal with security threats.

The decision was made after Mr Prayut consulted with advisers and some military generals and received concerns that the agency would become a "counterweight" to the military.

Previously, according to Mr. Prayut's original plan, the Internal Security Command (ISOC) would be upgraded into a ministerial-level agency operating like the US Department of Homeland Security.

The new agency will also oversee the National Intelligence Service and the Royal Thai Police, except for the military, which will remain under the control of the Ministry of Defense.

This plan was strongly promoted after the Erawan Shrine bombing on August 17. The Thai Prime Minister said that having a security ministry connected with all agencies handling security issues would help ensure security and public order activities are carried out effectively.

However, the plan has faced criticism in the military community due to concerns about losing political power to the security forces.

There have even been concerns expressed that the new security agency will have "state power" to interfere more in the country's politics./.

According to VN+