Army chief admits Korat shooting spree reflects poor treatment of army rank-and-file

[AllThaiedUp]

Let that be a lesson to everyone. When you owe someone 50K baht and refuse to pay... anything can happen.

[samran]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He admitted that incident reflected what he described as a problem of  inadequate welfare and poor treatment of the army rank-and-file by their superiors.

Just the way they've always liked it...

[justin case]

apologists here?  because he had low salary  ? <deleted>

 

find another job

 

ex-wife stole millions and is still alive

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, AllThaiedUp said:

Let that be a lesson to everyone. When you owe someone 50K baht and refuse to pay... anything can happen.

 

Don't think the minimum threshold here for "anything can happen" needs to be anywhere close to 50,000 baht. Far lower amounts can easily suffice. 

[scorecard]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Don't think the minimum threshold here for "anything can happen" needs to be anywhere close to 50,000 baht. Far lower amounts can easily suffice. 

And even when the people involved are wealthy, things happen... every country.

[BRUFC]

2 hours ago, KhunKenAP said:

Thai Army, Navy, Airforce and Marines, get paid worse than police. I know a lower ranking Marine that get 7,000 baht a month and from that they deduct food, uniform and other charges. They are below minimum wages. No wonder some go rouge.  

Complete with mascara, eye liner and lipstick?

Yes, I know it was a typo...please forgive me Ken.

[Assurancetourix]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

wow! the truth? i have to sit down.

The truth ?

I don't believe it for a single second; we will never get it.
on the other hand, I know that the troop in Thailand is particularly ill-treated by the sub-officers.
The food is filthy (it must be the remains of what they give to the prisoners, it is not possible otherwise), I know I ate a few times at the very large barracks of Sakon Nakhon, near the big hospital military and airfield, or rather participates in watching but without eating ... when we went to visit my stepson who did his military service there about ten years ago .

sometimes, sometimes (bis repetitae) the commander of a base, somewhere in Thailand, offers a show of very bad taste to his troop to cheer him up;
circulate on the net some poor quality videos where we see young and often pretty young ladies undressing entirely on stage before the eyes of the wolves of Tex Avery ...
When I write entirely, it is completely  naked .

[webfact]

Thai army chief tearfully apologises for mass shooting by soldier

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

Thai army chief Apirat Kongsompong speaks during a news conference in Bangkok, Thailand, following last weekend's shooting rampage by a soldier at a mall in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's army chief apologised on Tuesday for a rogue soldier, whose 19-hour shooting rampage killed 29 people and wounded 57 over the weekend, stunning the country.

 

At times wiping away tears, Thai Army Chief General Apirat Kongsompong said during a 90-minute press conference that the army will help compensate all the victims and their families.

 

"I, as army chief, would like to apologise and say how sorry I am for this incident which was caused by a staff of the army," Apirat said.

 

"In the minute, the second that the perpetrator pulled the trigger and killed, in that minute he is a criminal and no longer a soldier," he said.

 

The soldier, Sergeant Major Jakrapanth Thomma, was shot dead by security forces on Sunday after he had stormed the Terminal 21 shopping centre in the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima the day before.

 

The 32-year-old had started the killing early on Saturday, shooting his commanding officer and the commander's mother-in-law over a business dispute.

 

He then drove to his army base, stole more assault weapons and ammunition and shot his way through a Buddhist temple before going to the Terminal 21 shopping centre, where he randomly fired at shoppers and held off police for more than 12 hours.

 

Apirat said the military would investigate the commanding officer who was killed, Colonel Anantharot Krasae, 48, and the housing deal apparently brokered by Anantharot's mother-in-law Anong Mitchan, 63.

 

Apirat said the commanding officer took advantage of the shooter in a land deal where a "promise was broken" over money matters.

 

He said authorities will find out who else was involved in the scheme and he promised a new line of communication so that army personnel could complain directly to the army chief.

 

"The army and I have already instructed this," he said, adding his mission before retirement in October was to make things fairer for army staff.

 

"I don’t think any Thai people would like this incident to happen again, so please don't blame the army or berate soldiers," Apirat said.

 

"If you want to blame someone, you blame General Apirat Kongsompong. I accept all criticisms and opinions. You can blame me because I am the army chief," he said.

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Neil Fullick)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-11

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

 

 

 

[legend49]

3 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

You think? Easy to see by him and who is iron fist velvet glove running this country. The elite superiors look heavily down on everyone. He sure does have a lot of pretty badges.

Yes look at the bling he is wearing. The last active service Thais were in was Vietnam I had a battalion of them where I was stationed. That would make this guy 70 years old ( no way), so where did he buy all the pretty awards from?

[Matzzon]

5 minutes ago, legend49 said:

Yes look at the bling he is wearing. The last active service Thais were in was Vietnam I had a battalion of them where I was stationed. That would make this guy 70 years old ( no way), so where did he buy all the pretty awards from?

He´s 59 years old

 

What I wonder is what happens when the country´s chief commander is crying?

Edited February 11, 2020 by Matzzon

[colinneil]

2 hours ago, Farangwithaplan said:

To state it was the army senior command's fault has no basis of fact. You are making this up. Are you suggesting that Army command should have intimate understanding of all personal relationship with all officers? Please offer some sort of balanced understanding of how army command was to have known of the murderer being  financially involved with his superior's family member to back up this bizarre statement. Because I really can't think of one.

 

I'm unsure how you get hold of all these theories you come up with.

 

 

Clearly you dont read the same news as everybody else.

Army commander has openly said........ Blame me as iam the army commander.

Yours is the bizarre statement, not mine.

[kingstonkid]

Why do we have corruption in Thailand?

 

This article like many others answers the question.

 

The government does not pay enough for people to live a good life.  Meanwhile they tell them that to be good Thais they need to own houses, fancy cars, gold jewlery and travel.  

 

Awful hard to do when your family is living in shanty town with <deleted> resources. No education and little support.

 

If he is making so little I wonder how a corporal lives on 200 a day.

 

Prisoners in jails don't pay for their food.  You can not expect a man to be happy and give you a big wet one if you steal all but under 100 baht a day.  These people at his level have to feed their family and pay rent.

 

 

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

You think? Easy to see by him and who is iron fist velvet glove running this country. The elite superiors look heavily down on everyone. He sure does have a lot of pretty badges.

About 499 baht at the local army surplus store. 

[spidermike007]

There is no doubt that these low level soldiers are mistreated. The real question is, why are there so many very high ranking officers?

 

The United States has a population of 360 million people, and an active duty military force of 1,281,000 (including 210,000 women), with about 900 generals and admirals serving in all military branches, with just over 200 generals in the entire US army and only 24-26 four star generals.  

 

Thailand has a population of 66 million, with a military force of about 350,000. But the Thai military is burdened with close to 2,000 generals and admirals, which is more than their total number of warships, tanks, and aircraft put together! 

Edited February 11, 2020 by spidermike007

[Benmart]

Corruption from the top to the bottom fosters an atmosphere of greed, contempt, intimidation, nepotism, vengence, hate and anger. This sad situation has a stranglehold on many societies in the world.

[Pedrogaz]

3 hours ago, KhunKenAP said:

No wonder some go rouge.  

Does this mean turning into a ladyboy? I must've missed something in the article. 

[GinBoy2]

23 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

There is no doubt that these low level soldiers are mistreated. The real question is, why are there so many very high ranking officers?

 

The United States has a population of 360 million people, and an active duty military force of 1,281,000 (including 210,000 women), with about 900 generals and admirals serving in all military branches, with just over 200 generals in the entire US army and only 24-26 four star generals.  

 

Thailand has a population of 66 million, with a military force of about 350,000. But the Thai military is burdened with close to 2,000 generals and admirals, which is more than their total number of warships, tanks, and aircraft put together! 

That statistic has always blown my mind.

 

It's even more ridiculous when you add the factoid that they have more than the combined NATO military countries 

[Odysseus123]

The Armed Forces are a franchise in Thailand.The same as the police or the civil service.

The objective is to make money-just like the "seven" down the road.

[edwinchester]

A lifetime career soldier with rumoured political ambitions speaks out about inequalities and wrong doing within the services just months before retirement and says he wants to sort it out....yeah right, totally believable.

[trainman34014]

If this Fella spent as much time looking after the welfare of his Troops as he does of mulling over where he can find space on his Uniform for a new piece of junk, then the Army would be a lot better for it.   Generals looking 'Pretty' don't cut it in the Military of the real World !

[anchadian]

https://money.yahoo.com/tearful-thai-general-says-dont-blame-army-soldiers-061602941.html

An emotional Thai army chief on Tuesday urged a nation in mourning over a mass shooting "not to blame the army" after a soldier gunned down at least 29 people in a rampage linked to a debt dispute with a senior officer.

 

 

Jakrapanth killed his commander and the commander's mother-in-law first as he embarked on an around 17-hour shooting spree.

 

Serving army top brass sit on the boards of state-enterprises, while many declare assets in their millions of dollars despite their meagre soldier's wages.

 

 

[holy cow cm]

4 hours ago, edwinchester said:

A lifetime career soldier with rumoured political ambitions speaks out about inequalities and wrong doing within the services just months before retirement and says he wants to sort it out....yeah right, totally believable.

Yeah, but he cried or shed a tear on TV. Isn't that worth a pay raise?

[holy cow cm]

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

Yeah, but he cried or shed a tear on TV. Isn't that worth a pay raise?

And to add to that, it is easy to put well placed chili oil on your face which gives the appearance of you crying or shedding a tear. My bet is on all staged. 

[bluesofa]

On 2/11/2020 at 8:49 PM, anchadian said:

https://money.yahoo.com/tearful-thai-general-says-dont-blame-army-soldiers-061602941.html

An emotional Thai army chief on Tuesday urged a nation in mourning over a mass shooting "not to blame the army" after a soldier gunned down at least 29 people in a rampage linked to a debt dispute with a senior officer.

 

 

Jakrapanth killed his commander and the commander's mother-in-law first as he embarked on an around 17-hour shooting spree.

 

Serving army top brass sit on the boards of state-enterprises, while many declare assets in their millions of dollars despite their meagre soldier's wages.

 

 

Thanks for posting the link.

[Scott Tracy]

£8.50 or £8 10 shillings in 1962, was worth around £180 in 2018 money.I

7 guineas in 1962, or £7 7 shillings, or £7.35 as It is now, was worth £155 in 2018.worth

 

You are both idiots to try and compare UK pay in 1962 to Thai army pay in 2020.

[Thongkorn]

My Son in law has been out about a year now. He joined becasue he wanted too, Which gave him a better position in the army ,those who take the black ball are Enlisted, Most enlisted guys learn nothing in the Thai Army. oftern they have to go and leave their young wives and children behind,  Some leave a well paid good job never to get it back.The Wives have to fend for themselves, My Son in Laws wages after stoppage was 5000 baht a month, Beasting and cruelty is rife, along with absconders, Those that absconded are marked for life they cannot get good jobs if any if they dont get caught, The Thai Government misses the chance to train these young guys, They could train them useful trades to help in Civil life but dont  many go back to a lesser job if they can find one,  

[Iron Tongue]

This guy was a Sargeant-Major.

 

A Sargeant-Major is the seniormost non-commissioned officer in a military unit.  In practice, the SM is second only to the Colonel in responsibility as he runs the show in commanding the all the enlisted and even the other officers will defer to his judgement.

 

And he only makes ~340 baht/day?

 

[JAG]

15 hours ago, legend49 said:

Yes look at the bling he is wearing. The last active service Thais were in was Vietnam I had a battalion of them where I was stationed. That would make this guy 70 years old ( no way), so where did he buy all the pretty awards from?

They did deploy an engineer battalion to Iraq, after the invasion.

 

I believe that they were known as "The Olympic Flames"- they never went out!

 

They also supplied troops to the operations in East Timor. Such UN led operations are popular with many countries, as the UN fund them (in cash) quite well. Quite how that money is used/distributed/allocated is another matter.

[Joker Man]

17 hours ago, Matzzon said:

He´s 59 years old

 

What I wonder is what happens when the country´s chief commander is crying?

????????????????????????????

[brommers]

This is the guy who sees dangerous people everywhere & makes speeches threatening harsh treatment of *bad guys" And now he is shedding crocodile tears. I would be seriously concerned if he was ever allowed to hold a toy gun let alone rule an army. And I bet he sleeps with the light on,  hugs his teddy bear and sucks his thumb at night.