OCTOBER 19, 2010...10:13 AM
A purge in the army
Some time ago, PPT stated that the Abhisit Vejjajiva government, shoe-horned into place by the military, palace and particular business interests, had been busy purging the ranks of the military, bureaucracy and police of any elements it considers pro-Thaksin Shinawatra. About a month after that, at the end of September, we posted regarding a press story on the annual reshuffle of provincial governors that was targeting those provincial governors thought to have failed in containing the March-May red shirt uprising. That report noted that: "Most of those [new] governors are obedient."
In the Bangkok Post it is reported that the new army boss General Prayuth Chan-ocha "has wasted no time in wielding his power by ordering a reshuffle of 229 senior officers. The rejig has led to the transfer of regimental commanders reportedly linked with the red shirt movement." The report adds that the "latest transfers are viewed as a move to ensure Gen Prayuth has reliable subordinates who can follow his orders to the letter. It was reported some military units did not deal with the red shirt protesters as he wanted."
One group that has been targeted is those officers with links to Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. Readers will remember that Chavalit was one of those called in by the regime's Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations and accused of links to an anti-monarchy movement.
Meanwhile, some of those who were responsible for aggressive actions against the red shirts have been promoted, including "Col Apirat Kongsompong, commander of the 11th Infantry Regiment (King's Guards) which played a key role in dealing with red shirt demonstrators…" and Colonel Kiat Srinaka of the Queen's Guards and "the influential military clique called Burapha Payak" who "played a key role in the clash with red shirt demonstrators at the Khok Wua intersection on April 10."
It seems that Prayuth considers former commander General Anupong Paojinda did not go far enough in rooting out red shirt sympathizers in the ranks. Prayuth will be at the top for 4 years and sees the political struggle against the red shirts and anti-monarchists as his most significant duty. Forget all the talk of professionalism and external threats that is normally associated with modern militaries. The Thai army is a political force that has spent almost all of its active life as an internal security force. That means repression has been its main game.
No comments:
Post a Comment