Apirach set to become Army chief in military appointments

By THE NATION 

 

From left: Apirach, Nattapol, Kukiat, Vichak and Thirawat

 

ASSISTANT ARMY chief General Apirach Kongsompong is tipped to take over as the new commander-in-chief from incumbent General Chalermchai Sittisart, who retires at the end of September.

 

Apirach is a graduate from Class 20 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.

 

The Defence Council is scheduled to convene a meeting on July 25 to discuss the lists of senior military personnel transfers submitted by the chiefs of the Armed Forces. The meeting is to be presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The appointment of commanders are to be announced before fiscal year 2018 ends on September 30.

 

The Army commander-in-chief is considered the most powerful position in the Thai Armed Forces. Thailand’s coups were often led by an Army chief, including the latest one in May 2014.

 

The position is one of the top “Five Tigers” commanders in the Army. The four other top Army commanders are the deputy Army chief, two assistant chiefs, and the chief of staff. With Apirach’s promotion, there will be changes among the holders of the remaining positions.

 

According to a well-informed source, the four other top Army commanders in this year’s transfers are expected to be: Army chief-of-staff General Nattapol Nakpanit to take over as deputy Army chief; First Army Area commander Lt-General Kukiat Srinaka and Third Army Area commander Lt-General Vichak Siribansop are to become assistant chief; and deputy Army chief of staff Lt-General Thirawat Boonyawat is to become the new chief of staff.

 

In addition to General Chalermchai, the commanders-in-chief of the Navy and the Air Force – Admiral Naris Pratoomsuwan and Air Chief Marshal Johm Rungswang respectively – will also retire this year. 

 

Royal Thai Navy deputy commander-in-chief Admiral Luechai Ruddit is expected to become the new Navy chief. Royal Thai Air Force assistant commander-in-chief ACM Chaiyapruk Didyasarin is tipped to become the new Air Force chief.

 

Other high-ranking military officers to retire this September are Defence Ministry permanent secretary General Theppong Thippayachan and Royal Thai Armed Forces Supreme Commander General Tarnchaiyan Srisuwan.

 

Defence Ministry deputy permanent secretary General Nat Intorncharoen is expected to replace Theppong. Armed Forces Command chief of staff General Pornpipat Benyasri is tipped to become the new supreme commander, a job that involves ceremonial matters rather than command of combat personnel.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30350422

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-7-19

What a complete sham. Should be a richly rewarding day for Prawit and his mates.

Congratulations to Apirach on his appointment and promotion. He should fit in nicely to the corrupt world of the junta. 

One has to wonder how many conscript soldiers he and his wife have as personal slaves.

If I remortgage my house in Oz can I buy into the Thai General franchise? 

I wonder who is the bottom of the General pile. There is over a 1000 of them. Anyway I hope they all have a colourful ceremony. 

Out of all those conscripts its simply amazing that the son of a previous army chief happened to pull through to the very top. Especially given who and what his father was involved in.

11 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Congratulations to Apirach on his appointment and promotion. He should fit in nicely to the corrupt world of the junta. 

One has to wonder how many conscript soldiers he and his wife have as personal slaves.

And no doubt Apirach will shortly be stating there will be no more coups,  parrot fashion like the people before him.  Naturally the highly talented retirees, with their world leading business acumen will shortly be appointed to PTT and other nationally controlled companies.

10 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

If I remortgage my house in Oz can I buy into the Thai General franchise? 

You will also need more than one offshore account. 

Apirach is already buying his silk jackets ready for his weekly tv appearances after the next coup.

I'm sure he will be spared from declaring his assets and unusual wealth before taking the job.

Five go Mad in Thailand with lots of ham sandwiches and lashings of ginger beer!

4 minutes ago, nong38 said:

Five go Mad in Thailand with lots of ham sandwiches and lashings of ginger beer!

What's the contingent of uniformed servants the new job entitles him to borrow?

Still can't get over the number of generals they have in Thailand What do they do all day I reckon 10 Generals would be enough

14 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

Still can't get over the number of generals they have in Thailand What do they do all day I reckon 10 Generals would be enough

 

 

One simply cannot have enough generals.Generals are the "lego"  pieces of significant parts of Asia.

 

I like deciphering their "fruit salad"-it  is a hobby of mine.

 

Anything from the Persian Wars (480 BC) to Arnhem (1944) seems to be the go..

 

 

Edited July 20, 20187 yr by Odysseus123

 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The position is one of the top “Five Tigers” commanders in the Army.

I'm confused.

The top Thai military leaders are divided between two military factions.

General Apirat Kongsompong belongs to the King’s Guard faction.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and other top military leaders belong to the Burapha Payak or “Eastern Tigers” military faction also known as the Queen's Guard. Prayut's bodyguards come from the regiment of the Queen’s guards.

Apirat's appointment as Army Chief is in effect a "mini-coup" with the top military leadership losing complete solidarity in command decisions. But in terms of a long-term power struggle for control of the nation, Apirat's appointment might be the beginning of the end the Eastern Tigers.

3 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

 

 

One simply cannot have enough generals.Generals are the "lego"  pieces of significant parts of Asia.

 

I like deciphering their "fruit salad"-it  is a hobby of mine.

 

Anything from the Persian Wars (480 BC) to Arnhem (1944) seems to be the go..

 

 

3

When I was in the army we use to have this Major. My god and excuse the language he was a <deleted> so I am presuming the higher you go in ranks the more stupid they are. You are talking to this major and all of sudden he starts laughing and it was just general talk about something Nothing funny about it. Maybe i made him nervous lol

6 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

When I was in the army we use to have this Major. My god and excuse the language he was a <deleted> so I am presuming the higher you go in ranks the more stupid they are. You are talking to this major and all of sudden he starts laughing and it was just general talk about something Nothing funny about it. Maybe i made him nervous lol

The same..

 

Nevertheless,the Thai fruit salad is interesting is it  not?

 

VC,DSO (two bars)purple heart,paratrooper,combat badge,MM and DCM...and that is only if you make security  guard 2nd class..

 

 

New Top Dog

 or ? 

They love to look smart

11 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Still can't get over the number of generals they have in Thailand What do they do all day I reckon 10 Generals would be enough

Maybe you should look at the number of high ranking officers in the British and other Western Militaries- no different to anywhere else. More admirals than ships springs to mind.

Edited July 20, 20187 yr by Psimbo

7 hours ago, Psimbo said:

Maybe you should look at the number of high ranking officers in the British and other Western Militaries- no different to anywhere else. More admirals than ships springs to mind.

1

Ok I have been told Thailand has over 1000 Generals So what you are saying is England has over 1000 General and admirals  I  know that  England doesn't have that many. But would be interested if you can show me actually how many Admirals and Generals The British have? Never mind  i looked it up for you  Army has 85 Generals and Navy has 41 Admirals  126 Total  Big difference you would say

10 hours ago, Psimbo said:

Maybe you should look at the number of high ranking officers in the British and other Western Militaries- no different to anywhere else. More admirals than ships springs to mind.

Too easy to fact check.

For the most powerful global superpower the USA the number of flag generals is capped at 652.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_duty_United_States_four-star_officers

 

Note the cited 1,000 military generals is not backed by any credible source. An article Thai military bloated with generals by the IRSANews Agency Israeli (which I did not reference as being in Hebrew but you can automatically Google translate the article) reported 1,092. But that was the number of troops promoted to general and are not the entire number of generals from major-general to full general available in the armed forces. 

Also note that the Thai military isn't the only organization with generals. The Royal Thai Police and Civil Service use military ranks as well. With that kind of militancy embedded in Thai society, it should come as no surprise that in the event of military coups there appears to be in part little or no resistance from the RTP or Civil Service.