After seizing power, Prayuth announced that a group of senior military leaders, known as the
National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), would govern Thailand. The NCPO created a new
National Legislative Assembly (NLA), and selected the Assembly’s members. On August 21,
2014, the new body elected Prayuth as Prime Minister. Prayuth has not set a date for a transition
to civilian rule, and he has been reluctant to hold popular elections. After the coup, he said that
elections might be held in early 2016 but later announced they would be would be pushed back to
August-September 2016. The NCPO also created a Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to
draw up a new constitution. While the process is on-going, a preliminary version grants immunity
to individuals involved in the coup and allows the prime minister to be selected, rather than
popularly elected, if he or she receives two-thirds approval of the house.