Thursday February 28, 2008
Bangkok Post
Get those sharp-shooters out of the way first, says Thaksin FSamak's fast tongue lands him in trouble with foreign media FPM wants full control of Isoc, to stop power plays by coup-maker Sonthi
Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport this morning. His arrival comes two weeks later than he had earlier scheduled.
Mr Thaksin initially planned to arrive back in Bangkok on Feb 14, Valentine's Day, core members of the People Power party (PPP) told their supporters during their canvassing campaigns before the Dec 23 general election. People Power Party is a reincarnation of Thai Rak Thai, which he used to lead.
However, Mr Thaksin changed his mind. A source among former classmates of the deposed prime minister at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (Class 10) said he scrapped his plan to return on Valentine's Day after he heard a rumour that some soldiers might want to assassinate him.
Mr Thaksin postponed his trip home while he dug into the rumours.
Among the rumours spreading in the military is a story that Sonthi Boonyaratkalin had ordered the purchase of 20 sniper rifles with a budget from the Special Warfare Command, the military command known to be closely connected to both Gen Sonthi and former prime minister Surayud Chulanont.
The rumour prompted Mr Thaksin to try rekindling his friendship with army chief Anupong Paojinda, his former classmate who is also an assistant secretary-general of the Council for National Security (CNS), which ousted his elected government in the 2006 coup.
Mr Thaksin, who lives in self-imposed exile abroad, phoned Gen Anupong recently, asking him to help ensure his safety when he returned to Thailand.
A military source said Mr Thaksin did not ask Gen Anupong to send him a squad of bodyguards, but to keep an eye on certain groups of soldiers and prevent them from taking any action that could endanger him.
Besides Gen Anupong, Mr Thaksin also called his former classmates in all the armed forces and the Royal Thai Police to help ensure his safe return, said the source.
Nevertheless, as the rumour about the purchase of sniper rifles by the Special Warfare Command has been spreading widely in the military, Gen Anupong has told the commander of the Special Warfare Command Sunai Sampattawanich to find out whether there is any truth behind it.
Lt-Gen Sunai said the purchase rumour had no grounds. His unit had not bought any new sniper rifles lately.
However, to make sure the command would not be involved in any plot to kill Mr Thaksin, Gen Anupong has ordered Lt-Gen Sunai to report to him the number of special warfare officers who specialise in using sniper rifles and where they are.
Gen Anupong even checked the number of weapons in the command's arsenal in Lop Buri province himself when he presided over celebrations of the Special Warfare Day.
He also transferred special warfare officers who use sniper rifles who served as Gen Sonthi's bodyguards while he was army chief and chairman of the CNS back to barracks.
Gen Anupong's move led to another rumour that there will be a major reshuffle among top officers in the Special Warfare Command in May.
It is also expected that in the mid-year army reshuffle next month, army officers in positions of command with close connections to Gen Sonthi would be removed from their posts, paving the way for Gen Anupong to take full control of the army. Then, the PPP-led government, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and Mr Thaksin could at last feel at ease.
-
Mouth faster than mind
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej seemed unaware just how his words could rebound against him until he read the print version of his controversial interview with CNN. And that is of concern to Foreign Ministry officials.
Mr Samak is a quick thinker, but his mouth is even faster. When he meets foreign leaders he must take into account that what he says could affect both the country's image and its best interests.
When he went to foreign affairs on Feb 14 for a briefing on the importance of relationships with other countries, Mr Samak learned that his interview on Feb 9 with the US media was not well received.
That was reflected in his talks with reporters waiting outside at the ministry. He said he was there to learn to speak carefully, as he was now the prime minister.
"Before, I was just an ordinary person and I could say anything, but now I'm prime minister so I have to be more careful when speaking," he said.
Foreign Ministry officials agree that Mr Samak's spoken English is not "ugly".
What he lacks is the ability to sweet-talk, which is a requirement for diplomats, ministers and prime ministers who have to sit at the same table with international leaders and investors.
"Mr Samak should allow himself some time to think before replying to foreign guests," one official said.
"He agreed to that after he saw his conversation with the CNN correspondent, which was later printed in the newspapers. He should talk through an interpreter."
The ministry provides an official to work with the prime minister at Government House and liaise with staff there. This time the helping hand is Nattapanu Noppakhun, who is ready to interpret for Mr Samak. He hasn't indicated whether he wants to make use of his services.
Ahead for the prime minister and his interpreter are numerous important trips,
They include meetings at the United Nations and the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting.
Then there are trips to neighbouring countries, starting with Laos this weekend, and then Cambodia and Burma.
-
Keeping the army at bay
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej may want to take control of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) himself if the new internal security bill is passed into law.
Under the bill governing the restructuring of Isoc, the prime minister serves as director of the agency.
If the bill is enacted, Mr Samak, also defence minister, would take the place of army chief Anupong Paojinda, the incumbent Isoc director, enabling him to take full control of security affairs.
This would be a significant departure from the Surayud government's policy to revamp the Isoc by putting army chiefs, including Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, in charge of the agency.
Before the Surayud administration, previous prime ministers, including Thaksin Shinawatra, served as ex-officio directors of Isoc.
"But now, Mr Samak wants to be in charge at Isoc himself so he can oversee all security affairs because Isoc has a large scope of power," a defence ministry source said.
Under the new security bill, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Immigration Office and the Department of Special Investigation will come under the restructured Isoc.
"Despite his great admiration for Gen Anupong, Mr Samak cannot have total trust in him. He [Mr Samak] fears that former army chief and former head of the now-defunct Council for National Security Gen Sonthi could be made chief adviser to Isoc and then would use the agency for his political gain, given the fact that Gen Anupong and Gen Sonthi worked together in staging the Sept 19 coup," said the source.
Before his retirement as army chief, Gen Sonthi installed army chief of staff Gen Montri Chompoochan as Isoc secretary-general. Both were Class 6 friends at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
Panlop Pinmanee's tenure as public relations adviser to the Isoc director expired on Dec 31 last year, but Gen Anupong did not renew it. Gen Anupong knew that the People Power party (PPP) would eventually lead the next government, the source said.
The PPP would have felt unhappy if Gen Panlop had continued to serve as Isoc adviser because Gen Panlop was suspected of being involved in the car bomb plot against Mr Thaksin in 2006.
The same source said Mr Samak would appoint 14 generals at the Defence Ministry to help him run Isoc. These generals are Class 10 friends of Mr Thaksin who were moved to inactive posts following the coup.
In the mid-year reshuffle, AM Sumeth Phomanee is expected to be made chief of staff at the ministry and also promoted to ACM, the source said. Maj-Gen Prin Suwannathat, former commander of the First Infantry Division, and Maj-Gen Manas Paorik, former Third Army commander, are expected to be promoted to lieutenant-generals.
AVM Pongsathorn Buasap, former director of air force operations, would be made air marshal. The other 10 would be colonels who would be made major-generals in the reshuffle.
There would also be a change to the post of secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC). Lt-Gen Siripong Bunpat, appointed during the Surayud government, would be replaced by Lt-Gen Surapol Puen-aiyaka, another friend of Mr Thaksin from the pre-cadet school.
Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport this morning. His arrival comes two weeks later than he had earlier scheduled.
Mr Thaksin initially planned to arrive back in Bangkok on Feb 14, Valentine's Day, core members of the People Power party (PPP) told their supporters during their canvassing campaigns before the Dec 23 general election. People Power Party is a reincarnation of Thai Rak Thai, which he used to lead.
However, Mr Thaksin changed his mind. A source among former classmates of the deposed prime minister at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (Class 10) said he scrapped his plan to return on Valentine's Day after he heard a rumour that some soldiers might want to assassinate him.
Mr Thaksin postponed his trip home while he dug into the rumours.
Among the rumours spreading in the military is a story that Sonthi Boonyaratkalin had ordered the purchase of 20 sniper rifles with a budget from the Special Warfare Command, the military command known to be closely connected to both Gen Sonthi and former prime minister Surayud Chulanont.
The rumour prompted Mr Thaksin to try rekindling his friendship with army chief Anupong Paojinda, his former classmate who is also an assistant secretary-general of the Council for National Security (CNS), which ousted his elected government in the 2006 coup.
Mr Thaksin, who lives in self-imposed exile abroad, phoned Gen Anupong recently, asking him to help ensure his safety when he returned to Thailand.
A military source said Mr Thaksin did not ask Gen Anupong to send him a squad of bodyguards, but to keep an eye on certain groups of soldiers and prevent them from taking any action that could endanger him.
Besides Gen Anupong, Mr Thaksin also called his former classmates in all the armed forces and the Royal Thai Police to help ensure his safe return, said the source.
Nevertheless, as the rumour about the purchase of sniper rifles by the Special Warfare Command has been spreading widely in the military, Gen Anupong has told the commander of the Special Warfare Command Sunai Sampattawanich to find out whether there is any truth behind it.
Lt-Gen Sunai said the purchase rumour had no grounds. His unit had not bought any new sniper rifles lately.
However, to make sure the command would not be involved in any plot to kill Mr Thaksin, Gen Anupong has ordered Lt-Gen Sunai to report to him the number of special warfare officers who specialise in using sniper rifles and where they are.
Gen Anupong even checked the number of weapons in the command's arsenal in Lop Buri province himself when he presided over celebrations of the Special Warfare Day.
He also transferred special warfare officers who use sniper rifles who served as Gen Sonthi's bodyguards while he was army chief and chairman of the CNS back to barracks.
Gen Anupong's move led to another rumour that there will be a major reshuffle among top officers in the Special Warfare Command in May.
It is also expected that in the mid-year army reshuffle next month, army officers in positions of command with close connections to Gen Sonthi would be removed from their posts, paving the way for Gen Anupong to take full control of the army. Then, the PPP-led government, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and Mr Thaksin could at last feel at ease.
-
Mouth faster than mind
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej seemed unaware just how his words could rebound against him until he read the print version of his controversial interview with CNN. And that is of concern to Foreign Ministry officials.
Mr Samak is a quick thinker, but his mouth is even faster. When he meets foreign leaders he must take into account that what he says could affect both the country's image and its best interests.
When he went to foreign affairs on Feb 14 for a briefing on the importance of relationships with other countries, Mr Samak learned that his interview on Feb 9 with the US media was not well received.
That was reflected in his talks with reporters waiting outside at the ministry. He said he was there to learn to speak carefully, as he was now the prime minister.
"Before, I was just an ordinary person and I could say anything, but now I'm prime minister so I have to be more careful when speaking," he said.
Foreign Ministry officials agree that Mr Samak's spoken English is not "ugly".
What he lacks is the ability to sweet-talk, which is a requirement for diplomats, ministers and prime ministers who have to sit at the same table with international leaders and investors.
"Mr Samak should allow himself some time to think before replying to foreign guests," one official said.
"He agreed to that after he saw his conversation with the CNN correspondent, which was later printed in the newspapers. He should talk through an interpreter."
The ministry provides an official to work with the prime minister at Government House and liaise with staff there. This time the helping hand is Nattapanu Noppakhun, who is ready to interpret for Mr Samak. He hasn't indicated whether he wants to make use of his services.
Ahead for the prime minister and his interpreter are numerous important trips,
They include meetings at the United Nations and the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting.
Then there are trips to neighbouring countries, starting with Laos this weekend, and then Cambodia and Burma.
-
Keeping the army at bay
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej may want to take control of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) himself if the new internal security bill is passed into law.
Under the bill governing the restructuring of Isoc, the prime minister serves as director of the agency.
If the bill is enacted, Mr Samak, also defence minister, would take the place of army chief Anupong Paojinda, the incumbent Isoc director, enabling him to take full control of security affairs.
This would be a significant departure from the Surayud government's policy to revamp the Isoc by putting army chiefs, including Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, in charge of the agency.
Before the Surayud administration, previous prime ministers, including Thaksin Shinawatra, served as ex-officio directors of Isoc.
"But now, Mr Samak wants to be in charge at Isoc himself so he can oversee all security affairs because Isoc has a large scope of power," a defence ministry source said.
Under the new security bill, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Immigration Office and the Department of Special Investigation will come under the restructured Isoc.
"Despite his great admiration for Gen Anupong, Mr Samak cannot have total trust in him. He [Mr Samak] fears that former army chief and former head of the now-defunct Council for National Security Gen Sonthi could be made chief adviser to Isoc and then would use the agency for his political gain, given the fact that Gen Anupong and Gen Sonthi worked together in staging the Sept 19 coup," said the source.
Before his retirement as army chief, Gen Sonthi installed army chief of staff Gen Montri Chompoochan as Isoc secretary-general. Both were Class 6 friends at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
Panlop Pinmanee's tenure as public relations adviser to the Isoc director expired on Dec 31 last year, but Gen Anupong did not renew it. Gen Anupong knew that the People Power party (PPP) would eventually lead the next government, the source said.
The PPP would have felt unhappy if Gen Panlop had continued to serve as Isoc adviser because Gen Panlop was suspected of being involved in the car bomb plot against Mr Thaksin in 2006.
The same source said Mr Samak would appoint 14 generals at the Defence Ministry to help him run Isoc. These generals are Class 10 friends of Mr Thaksin who were moved to inactive posts following the coup.
In the mid-year reshuffle, AM Sumeth Phomanee is expected to be made chief of staff at the ministry and also promoted to ACM, the source said. Maj-Gen Prin Suwannathat, former commander of the First Infantry Division, and Maj-Gen Manas Paorik, former Third Army commander, are expected to be promoted to lieutenant-generals.
AVM Pongsathorn Buasap, former director of air force operations, would be made air marshal. The other 10 would be colonels who would be made major-generals in the reshuffle.
There would also be a change to the post of secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC). Lt-Gen Siripong Bunpat, appointed during the Surayud government, would be replaced by Lt-Gen Surapol Puen-aiyaka, another friend of Mr Thaksin from the pre-cadet school.
2 comments:
I feel so happy for Thaksin. I know what is like for him not being able to live in his own home.
What is a happy ending? He's indeed a blessed Thai PM.
Must have picture and CV
Post a Comment