http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/the-army-and-the-election/

The army and the election

With hints from many that this election is going to be savage, the first evidence appears to be attacks on Puea Thai Party candidates and workers. First, there was an assassination attempt on Puea Thai's Pracha Prasopdee from Samut Prakarn, and Bangkok Pundit has a good account. Second, there was a grenade attack at Puea Thai campaign worker Somthawil Ruenthong's home in Samut Prakarn.

Both are from a notoriously dangerous political battleground, where local and national issues intersect, and yet the targeting of Puea Thai does send a message.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports on an important military reshuffle that is altogether too predictable as the Army chief seeks to win this last ditch election victory for the royalist parties:

Army boss Prayuth Chan-ocha has reshuffle of 157 colonels and lieutenant colonels. These are the frontline commanders who do the ordered fighting at the border and the political dirty-work of crushing protesters and repressing political opponents when ordered.

So it is no surprise to see "promotions for officers who took part in cracking down on red shirt protesters last year" and apparently aimed to "ensure order in the lead-up to the July 3 election." We see it as yet another effort at election control by the military as "hawkish colonels … take charge in pro-Thaksin Shinawatra areas of the country…" in the north and northeast.

An example of rewards for following political orders is seen in Colonel Kanchai Prachuap-aree who becomes a deputy commander of the King's Guard. He took part in cracking down on red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong and at Rang Nam in Bangkok in May 2010 commanded troops with blood on their hands.

It is clear that Prayuth is going to do all that he can to reward loyalty and to destroy red shirts and Puea Thai Party who are identified in his mind with instability and disloyalty.