Coup Leaders: Where Are They Now?

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Coup leaders: where are they now?

By Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

Published on September 18, 2009

Coup leaders: where are they now?

Sonthi may enter politics but others have kept out

Three years after the military coup on September 19, what are the coup makers doing? Do they still play some role in politics?

First, coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin looks to have a political career in mind. He is studying the Election Commission's Political Development course and pursuing a PhD in political science at Ramkhamhaeng University.

Sonthi has not indicated he is going to enter politics. But he has become an adviser to the newly established Matubhum Party. Reports say he will be invited to lead the party soon.

Sonthi is a Muslim, and the party's targeted area is the restive South. Matubhum Party members include MPs from the deep South's Wadah Group.

General Ruengroj Mahasaranond was the first to fully enter politics, as a deputy leader of the People Power Party. He was among those banned last year when the party was dissolved after an electoral fraud case.

Although Police General Kowit Watana did not join a party, he was deputy prime minister and Interior minister in the Samak Sundaravej government and Interior minister in the Somchai Wongsawat government last year.

Like Ruengroj, he has kept a low profile since the fall of People Power last year.

General Winai Phattiyakul was among the first seen as being tempted to join politics. He has good connections with many key politicians, but has so far laid low.

His only connection to politics is his oldest son Sakoltee, now a Democrat MP. Although Sakoltee entered politics after the coup, he said his father had nothing to do with it; he acted on his own Democrat connections.

The other members of the Council for National Security, Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbasuk and Admiral Satirapan Keyanon look to have kept out of politics, living retired soldiers' lives.

Chalit helps Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda with many activities, including those linked to the General Prem's Statesman Foundation.

Although General Surayud Chulanont was not a member of the CNS, he was asked by the coup makers to be prime minister, forcing him to leave his Privy Council post. After being PM for little over a year, he stood down and returned to the Privy Council last year.

His Majesty the King also pushed Surayud's ranking in the Privy Council from 16th to third, second to Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda and Tanin Kraivixien.

Surayud is now chairman of the General Prem Tinsulanonda Statesman Foundation, which he said was "out of politics".

General Saprang Kalayanamitr has strong links with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the yellow-shirt group that campaigned against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

He faded away after losing the Army chief's post to Anupong, dedicating himself to Buddhism.

Last key person from that time is General Anupong Paochinda, not one of the coup leaders, but a vital figure who controlled the military a short time later.

Anupong rose to be Army Commander-in-chief one year after the coup. Last year, he vowed to keep the military out of politics, saying political problems can only be solved with political solutions.

Anupong retains the key Army leadership, and it seems his close aides, General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Lt General Kanit Sapitak, are also in line to be the next generation of military leaders.

Prayuth, his deputy at the time of the coup, is set to be Deputy Army Commander-in-chief from next month, while Lt-General Kanit Sapitak is the First Army Region Commander.

-- The Nation 2009/09/18

[mc2]

these scumbags should be behind bars

[Artisi]

these scumbags should be behind bars

Maybe so- where they could keep the No1 scum bag Thaksin company if he had the b_alls to ever return to Thailand - but that won't happen as he is nothing but a pumped up self-centred fugitive criminal using the brainless to further his on-going bleating and trouble making.

At least those that you call scum bags have had the b_alls to stay and not run away like the little boy your "saviour" has.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Artisi

[christcourt]

these scumbags should be behind bars

Maybe so- where they could keep the No1 scum bag Thaksin company if he had the b_alls to ever return to Thailand - but that won't happen as he is nothing but a pumped up self-centred fugitive criminal using the brainless to further his on-going bleating and trouble making.

At least those that you call scum bags have had the b_alls to stay and not run away like the little boy your "saviour" has.

Engage brain before pressing the key board!! This is about "where are the PAD leaders now????

I for one want the bastards behind bars Its partly because of them that has led to this countries tourism demise and the hundreds of people losing their jobs.

Where are the PAD now !!! Going to the Cambodian Border to cause yet more Violence and clashes with the Local community and Cambodians themselves. They are a "loose Cannon" and the leaders should be put away before they cause more trouble.

[Serpico]

Coup leaders?

Last I heard, they were enjoying their home built inside National Parks, spending the 81 billion raise they gave the military, and of course, the immunity they gave themselves.

Must be nice.

[Plus]

Engage brain before pressing the key board!! This is about "where are the PAD leaders now????

Is it?

Not according to the thread title.

[Artisi]

They are a "loose Cannon" and the leaders should be put away before they cause more trouble.

Of course the red girls brigade aren't causing any trouble, are they, with main trouble maker already a convicted on the run criminal stirring as much trouble as he can from a "safe"distance without the b_alls to front up and do his own dirty work in person.

[givenall]

these scumbags should be behind bars

Actually I think these scumbags did Thailand a big favor by getting rid of the corrupt Thaksin and like any good citizen they did not want power just better Government, which is still in process of being define

[somluck]

Anyone knows where is Suchinda and what is he and the other members of his 'peacekeeping' junta doing? I only know Sunthorn has passed away and willed his mia noi to his ex-aide

[Plus]

Suchinda leaves a quiet life, occasionally dropping a comment or two on the current situation.

I don't see how it is relevant - he was deposed after the people uprising (practically speaking), while the 2006 coupmakers stepped down themselves.

We've been told that it was military power grab - yet all they be accused of now is spending good time in retirement they would have had anyway. And those who try to stay in power got junior positions in insignificant political parties.

Completely undermines power grab theory.

[animatic]

Well for those bothering to actually READ the OP....

the leaders of the most recent coup are pretty much spread across the political spectrum,

from Dems to PPP to Muslim parties to obscure parties or simple retirements.

Pointing to ANY level of corruption in them is pretty much a non-issue,

since corruption is a way of life here, and NOT the exception.

Only truly EXCEPTIONAL CORRUPTION is note worthy in this assessment.

This really does NOT point to thinking of them being this 'PAD entity',

as so many have claimed in high dudgeon, but more as an across the board

condemnation of THAKSIN AND HIS AIMS, in particular what his plans were

AFTER dissolving the parliament and his party screwing the pooch in TWO elections...

It was him running a shrinking cabinet of sycophant yes-men,

as the only stand up no-men were bailing ship. This left him in TOTAL control,

and tons of pressure he piled on his OWN ego driven psychology; cracks were CLEARLY showing.

The people who pulled the plug on him as ACTING PM, leaning toward proto-dictator,

are now, today shown to be not from one group, other than military,

but politically from MANY CAMPS including THAKSINS'S!

And THAT little factoid is a most interesting one.

Yes, where are they now and WHOM are they aligned with.

Many places and many groups, not the anointed monaural channeling most imply.

[Chunkton]

They are a "loose Cannon" and the leaders should be put away before they cause more trouble.

Of course the red girls brigade aren't causing any trouble, are they, with main trouble maker already a convicted on the run criminal stirring as much trouble as he can from a "safe"distance without the b_alls to front up and do his own dirty work in person.

Have you ever considered giving up on Taksin and getting a life. You must be an unbearable bore to your family with this fanaticism. I am not having a dig, honestly, but where are you priorities in life? In the end it is just Thai politics, a dirty game all round, none of it matters.

[Rumfoord]

Have you ever considered giving up on Taksin and getting a life. You must be an unbearable bore to your family with this fanaticism. I am not having a dig, honestly, but where are you priorities in life? In the end it is just Thai politics, a dirty game all round, none of it matters.

getting a life and some spirits got restricted under Thaksin. since 2005:

The two daily periods when alcohol for personal consumption can be sold are 11am-2pm and 5pm-midnight.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Alcohol-Sales-Laws-t51068.html