Sinister motive seen in move to empower Isoc

By KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION 

 

 

Observers believe security agency could act as a 'sidekick' of military.

 

THE JUNTA’S latest move to empower the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), giving it more authority at the provincial and regional levels over other officials, could be a preparation for the coming election and a return to civilian rule, political observers said yesterday. 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Wednesday exercised his absolute power using Article 44 to amend the security law governing Isoc. 

 

The amendment cites that various non-military officials from different agencies, including the Justice and the Interior spheres, were included in the structure with the head of Isoc at the national, regional and provincial level as the de facto chief commander in their responsible areas. 

 

The move was among several other changes, including the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, amid growing pressure on the regime to be clear about holding an election and restoring democratic rule.

 

Surachart Bamrungsuk, a prominent security scholar at Chulalongkorn University, said yesterday that the additional authority given to Isoc could be utilised in the political battle against civilian politicians. 

 

Normally, the military role is expanded during wartime, causing overlapping work with civilian government officials, he explained. 

 

But the current move is not related to wars. So, it can be viewed that the Army is seeking power to have control over politics, Surachat said. 

 

“It would group together relevant agencies – military, police, prosecutors and the chief of mitigation agencies – to handle security matters effectively,” he said. 

 

The regime has initiated a 20-year national strategy and its power to select the future Senate should be taken into consideration alongside this Isoc power in order to understand the big picture, he said.

 

Since the 2006 and 2014 coups, Isoc had been utilised extensively to serve the Army’s political purpose such as highlighting the military roles in politics. The next government could face more challenges because of Isoc, in addition to those posed by the new charter, he added.

 

Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday that the amendment aimed to empower state mechanisms to effectively deal with all kinds of security threats, notably natural disasters, rather than controlling the population for political purposes as widely understood.

 

No change to existing structure

 

The premier made it clear that the amendments did not make any changes to the existing structure of Isoc, but had only added disaster relief and mitigation work, Sansern said.

 

Surachart argued that citing internal security including natural disaster as the need to restructure Isoc was merely a “veil”. 

 

The government already had sufficient tools to deal with the issue. For instance, it could work through the National Security Council, he said. Instead, they went to Isoc to deal with all security issues because Isoc was basically the Army, Surachart explained. 

 

Another security academic Wanwichit Boonprong said it was possible to view the move as politically motivated. When the military retains its role after the election, Isoc with its new authority could be their sidekick working in provinces and rural areas, he said. 

 

However, Wanwichit was not certain whether Isoc could be a political tool to help the junta gain advantage over other parties in the election though the agency was rather close to the people in local areas and its intelligence had proved efficient in testing the political temperature. If that was the case, the military could expect a backlash from civil society, he added. 

 

On an optimistic note, Wanwichit said that it was also possible to see that |adjustment was to meet the new circumstance. Isoc did have a role in easing the people’s suffering in times of national disaster such as floods, he said. Giving it direct authority could make the work easier and reduce unnecessary redundancy, he added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30332385

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-24

52 minutes ago, webfact said:

Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday that the amendment aimed to empower state mechanisms to effectively deal with all kinds of security threats, notably natural disasters, rather than controlling the population for political purposes as widely understood.

If the government spokesman comes out to say it isn't something, I assume that it is.

 

I guess ISOC will be the lead agency in 'controlling the population for political purposes' for the immediate future...

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

But the current move is not related to wars. So, it can be viewed that the Army is seeking power to have control over politics, Surachat said. 

It doesn’t matter that he’s 100% right. All that matters is what he’s saying. It’s a form of criticism. Can we have this man arrested for stating the obvious? 

5 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

It doesn’t matter that he’s 100% right. All that matters is what he’s saying. It’s a form of criticism. Can we have this man arrested for stating the obvious? 

no you can't.  You can try and see how far you get.

7 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

It doesn’t matter that he’s 100% right. All that matters is what he’s saying. It’s a form of criticism. Can we have this man arrested for stating the obvious? 

" However, Wanwichit was not certain whether Isoc could be a political tool to help the junta gain advantage over other parties in the election though the agency was rather close to the people in local areas and its intelligence had proved efficient in testing the political temperature "

51 minutes ago, steven100 said:

no you can't.  You can try and see how far you get.

We should at least try right? I’m worried about national security.

2 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

We should at least try right? I’m worried about national security.

ok... if you want. just give your name and details to the office & i'm sure someone will be over to visit you real soon

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Observers believe security agency could act as a 'sidekick' of military.

Isn't everything the sidekick of the military in a junta dictorial  government !

8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

ok... if you want. just give your name and details to the office & i'm sure someone will be over to visit you real soon

Cheers, Steve. I’m just worried I’m a bit too ‘farang’. Need someone more seasoned. Can I use your name? I’m sure you’ve called them a fair few times. 

Is there anyone in Thailand not on a committee?

I'm not..........

Good old Article 44 to the rescue again to protect Prayut's ever mounting insecurity. Where will it all end?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday that the amendment aimed to empower state mechanisms to effectively deal with all kinds of security threats, notably natural disasters, rather than controlling the population for political purposes as widely understood.

really enjoy reading what this guy says; then can immediately believe the opposite, makes it simple

6 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Good old Article 44 to the rescue again to protect Prayut's ever mounting insecurity. Where will it all end?

Which is an interesting point. What happens to Article 44, more importantly all areas affected by the article, when a proper government takes over?

 

Or will the successive government take this over and be able to use it as the junta have been using it?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Instead, they went to Isoc to deal with all security issues because Isoc was basically the Army, Surachart explained.

under the tiresome guise of 'security', we seem to be headed for a permanent coup

Grid-locking of the country progressing well and as planned..

 

We are in for 20 years of those loonies ... 

Is there anyone in Thailand not on a committee?

A very good question!

Perhaps we should form a committee to investigate...

Sent from my KENNY using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

I'm not..........

You could be on one and not realise it

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Is there anyone in Thailand not on a committee?

They generally tend to put the same small group of "good people" on every committee. And if they run out of people wanting to earn an extra salary for no work they just pick some of their family members to fill up the positions.

Yes, absolutely. Because the military has done such a sterling job at handling disaster mitigation in the past.

 

Some might argue that Thailand leading the world in per capita road deaths of its own people is a form of natural disaster. Let's have the newly empowered ISOC put to work on that!

 

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

Is there anyone in Thailand not on a committee?

Yes, they're on a super committee that overseas committees -Prayut's contribution to Thai governance.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

empower the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), giving it more authority at the provincial and regional levels over other officials, could be a preparation for the coming election and a return to ....

.... military rule regardless of who is elected.

More more Dark State, it will be very in the open and in elected officials' faces.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The amendment cites that various non-military officials from different agencies, including the Justice and the Interior spheres, were included in the structure with the head of Isoc at the national, regional and provincial level as the de facto chief commander in their responsible areas. 

So on the one hand Prayut proposed (see earlier TV articles) to decentralize law enforcement to the lowest levels of governance ( a great reform for law enforcement) and on the other hand he will assure national military centralized oversight over civilian governance after elections.

Shame.

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

...rather than controlling the population for political purposes as widely understood.

An infamous Austrian, former greeting card designer, would be proud of the development. Wait until they read the chapter of his book, regarding concentration camps.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Normally, the military role is expanded during wartime,

at war with the people

5 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Good old Article 44 to the rescue again to protect Prayut's ever mounting insecurity. Where will it all end?

In bloodshed.

Unfortunately.

But that is the only way the people of Thailand are going to get rid of this lot.

Edited November 24, 20178 yr by thaiguzzi

4 hours ago, CantSpell said:

Grid-locking of the country progressing well and as planned..

 

We are in for 20 years of those loonies ... 

Sadly I think you are dead right with the 20 years of more of the same shambolic military self serving governance. 

Multiple 20 year plans were not designed specifically for that period of time for no reason.

8 hours ago, YetAnother said:

under the tiresome guise of 'security', we seem to be headed for a permanent coup

Ah...someone is paying attention. You're right, there are dark clouds on the horizon that should be considered by all Thais right now.