Gen Chaovalit Appointed As Supreme Commander Of People's Army Of Thailand

[Roachiebkk]

IMHO civil war is the only chance for the oppressed Thais to be freed. Let's hope Thaksin succeed in his revolution

You can't possibly be serious. Have you any idea what a true civil war would do to the country of Thailand? What a completely irresponsible thing to say.

Just google images of lebanon's civil war and you'll come quickly back to earth

[manarak]

Chaovalit already denied.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...%27people%27s-a

Chavalit denies he will head 'people's army'

Pheu Thai Party chief advisor Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Thursday denied that he would head the so-called people's army.

He said he had announced before re-entering politics that he would try to create reconciliation but setting up a people's army would cause his junior friends in the military to be worried.

"It's impossible for me to become the supreme commander of such army because my brother, Gen Songkitti Jakkrabatra who is the supreme commander, will feel uneasy," Chavalit said.

The establishment of the people's army was announced by Pallop Pinmanee, a Pheu Thai Party member. Pallop said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra decided to set up the people's army with Chavailt being its supreme commander.

The Nation

[Navalator]

former prime minister has appointed General Chaovalit Yongchaiyud as the Supreme Commander as the People's Army of Thailand

Am I dreaming? A convicted fugitive has appointed a Supreme Commander....

Jeezus what kind of madness is going on here?

The madness is called "Civil War".

[britmaveric]

Good on the reds about time someone stood up to the corrupt military.

[AsiaCheese]

IMHO civil war is the only chance for the oppressed Thais to be freed. Let's hope Thaksin succeed in his revolution

You can't possibly be serious. Have you any idea what a true civil war would do to the country of Thailand? What a completely irresponsible thing to say.

Just google images of lebanon's civil war and you'll come quickly back to earth

Lebanon? What a comparison. We're not talking about religious zealots in Thailand...

[rixalex]

As a foreigner who is host of a country I would never comment on complex political questions which are definitely internal Thai affairs.

Never comment? You sure about that?

Even if this is against our (foeign) interests, I would understand if the long overdue revolution in Thailand will finally take place. Elites can not treat forever a whole population the way it is done in Thailand.

[jdinasia]

yes but the problem is that non of thaksin supporters would like to do a long march. They were taken per bus to the demonstrations, brought back, than they get their 500 Baht.

So I guess you've bought the Suthep line that these are all bought and paid for supporters. A rather naive view. Why don't you take a drive around in Isaan...off of highway 2. If the number of larger than life-size pictures are any indication, you will be hard-pressed to believe that Thaksin isn't the current PM. I did it at New Years. Zero pictures of Abhisit anywhere. Zero pictures of Prem anywhere. In 7 provinces, I counted about 5 or 6 pictures of Newin.

You underestimate the man's popularity at your own risk. Certainly the army and the government, with their overblown reactions to every rumor, don't. Those "uneducated farmers" are smart enough to realize that all the elites, hi-so's, and politicians are a bunch of greedy liars. But they're sticking with the first and only one to ever give them a slice of the pie, no matter how miniscule.

Do the pictures you saw represent popularity? Or just perhaps do they represent a deep wallet that is willing to do major self-promotion? I am glad that your "uneducated farmers" are smart enough to realize that all elites, hi-so's, and politicians are a bunch of greedy liars! since well .... Thaksin is of the "elite". Thaksin is "hi-so". Thaksin is a politician. And what you so liberally apply to EVERY member of each of those groups (hasn't anyone ever warned you about stereotyping on that scale?) DOES apply to Thaksin

[rixalex]

Good on the reds about time someone stood up to the corrupt military.

Huh? Did i read correct? Thaksin's reds are standing up to corruption?!

LOL

My mistake, you did say military corruption. Other forms are obviously not included in their noble battle.

[KireB]

I have a solution: Hold elections and let the people of Thailand choose.

But that's just wishful thinking, since the will of the Thai people have barely been respected in the past few years.

And many Thai people haven't respected the ideology of elections,and democracy, in the past few years! Vote buying and selling is rife in Thailand!

Elections would be the worst possible scenario at the moment!

[givenall]

Why can't the government just give him his money (did he not make most of it legally)?

Why do they have to make so much problems... Invite Thaksin back, have a new election (1 person 1 vote)... Get the UN or someone inn to control the voting... The losers would bend down and agree to work for the best of the country, improve the lives of all Thais.

I think that the current government is worried that Thaksin would win again, even if he has been out of the country for several years... Last time there was an election, who won? (yes, everyone buys votes, that is how they do it here).

PS. Do you guys think that Thaksin got a fair trial?

Is this whole thing just a power play from him in hope that he will get his money?

Why are they still holding his money? If he evaded Taxes, deduct that, send him the rest and tell him to never come back.

I think most of the problems now are fulled by the newspapers so they can sell more, stop writing about this, don't let people read about everything (NO MORE FREE PRESS) and it might go away, or will it?

I feel sorry for Thailand, BUT, what comes around, goes around...

The reds want Thaksin back as they get a share of his/Thailands money passed down through the heads of villages! Simple as that.Its all about greed.

What money

[rixalex]

maybe it is what is needed for Thailand to move forward. Some growing up needs to be done on both sides and a bloody nose does tend to bring one to their senses

Just so long as it's not your nose, right?

Amazing how lightly people can speak of violence for some perceived greater good when it's not them or their family at stake.

[britmaveric]

well let's get this settled one way or another!

[connel707]

This has to be a <deleted> story or there is something very nasty brewing here.

I fear you may be right. This is all getting a little silly now.

Its more like self-defence. The army has a deserved reputation as killers of innocent , defenceless, protesting civilians.

I suppose the message being sent out is "we are not just going to let you slaughter us, we WILL fight back", but im sure this position will be officially clarified shortly

Nonsense, 1992 is a long time ago now and I don't recall Thaksin opposing the army then, he was too busy making sweet deals with the top brass.

The army showed considerable restraint last Songkran with the red hooligans and don't say they were all blue shirts disguised.

Thaksin would love an army coup or crackdown to justify his holy democracy stance.

He needs some naive reds to die 'in the name of democracy'.

He must provoke, provoke, provoke but the army isn't falling for it.

Remember the "Young Ones" they were also a peoples army... !!

[faranginexile]

Thaksin's "People's Army of Thailand".

Treason is one of the first things that springs to mind.

Unfortunately, this will harden the resolve of the judges rather than intimidate them IMO.

Treason, indeed. And if that's difficult to prove in court, my guess is that establishing or maintaining a private army is illegal as well. Round up the usual suspects.

//deleted by Admin//

[animatic]

They love their acronyms here so now again;

TAT Thug's Army of Thailand

goes

SPLAT Supremely Precipitous Loony Army of Twits

falls

FLAT Fails Legal Arguments Totally

So where is the Paymaster going to get the funds

to feed and march this largely hallucinatory behemoth?

It's said an army travels on it's stomach...

Got a barracks or will the sleep in the streets?

Treason on a large scale, but with an imaginary army,

or does he expect the plebs and proles to rally round,

the democratic ideal of causing a civil war,

because they don't get to re-vote early?

Edited February 4, 2010 by animatic

[annabel]

The first post in all these pages that cracked me up

Warfare puts a 20-year dent in population growth. In 20th century, it happened twice to Germany.

Modern warfare murders 8 noncombatants for every soldier killed.

Well I doubt Thailand is able to organize anything on German dimensions.

Half the Army would attack the wrong countries because they hold the map upside down.

[ding]

Treason on a large scale, but with an imaginary army,

or does he expect the plebs and proles to rally round,

the democratic ideal of causing a civil war,

because they don't get to re-vote early?

There's the all important "T" word. Stand back everyone, this could get messy.

[LTGTR]

That mutt Thaksin should be shot on sight,no matter what country he is cowering in.

[Meridian007]

That mutt Thaksin should be shot on sight,no matter what country he is cowering in.

That's a bit strong, but he should be extradited, (which the UAE promised they would do if he started trying to use Dubai as a base for creating civil war in Thailand again), and forced to serve out his jail sentence while waiting for the judgments on his pending cases.

Issues of treason for him and his thugs should also be looked at.

[fnprop]

Is the populace really gullible enough to buy the idea that if a megalomanic on the run from the law states something from outside of the country, it must be true?

It's entirely plausible. Evidently there is a portion of the populace, including some posters on this forum, who are gullible enough to place the blame for all Thailand's troubles on one former PM. And gullible enough to believe that if he would shut up and disappear, Thailand would return to its natural state of being some kind of idyllic utopia.

...there isn't going to be a coup.

May we quote you on that? Ooops, we just did.

Now, why should we believe you?

[MAJIC]

A Convicted criminal on the run,thinks he has the power to appoint a Supreme Commander in waiting eh!

I must be missing something here.

[Publicus]

This guy has more running power than the energizer rabbit thats for sure.

The Mad Hatter.

[citizen33]

I see that the rednecks are still indulging in their incoherent ramblings about the redshirts. It seems only yesterday that they were trying to convince us that the coup would solve all Thailand's problems, that people in the North East know nothing but vote buying, and that everything would settle down once the provincial strong men told the peasants to settle down. Some of us tried to explain that these people weren't going to lie down if their votes were stolen.

[qualtrough]

Something like two years ago I made a personal vow to no longer visit or contribute to Thai visa forum topics unless it was to seek information or help about a service or personal need, etc. The reason for the vow was that the number of ill-informed or ignorant people commenting on threads began at some point to vastly outnumber the comments by informed people making intelligent and well thought-out comments, which I enjoyed reading regardless of whether or not I agreed with them. Well, I violated that vow today by reading and contributing to this thread. My mistake, it is even worse than it used to be.

[khunjamespittman]

Thaksin's "People's Army of Thailand".

Treason is one of the first things that springs to mind.

Unfortunately, this will harden the resolve of the judges rather than intimidate them IMO.

Treason was also my first thought, and why I doubt Chavalit knew about his before hand.

So likely more off the record disinformation... lets get them worried regardless of the logic.

If TRUE on the other hand treason is quite logically charged.

Please, let's tone down the rhetoric. Please enlighten me. Exactly what is the act of treaseon that has been committed?

Throwing around the "T" is very inflamatory and deffinitely not helpful.

[MellowYellow]

Question for the red-shirt sympathisers and Thaksin apologists:

* Do you seriously believe that Thailand will remain a democracy if Thaksin manages to reinstall himself as 'leader'?

Question for yellow shirt sympathisers and military/judical Coup, election nullyifying apologists:

Do you really think Thailand is even close to a democracy NOW?

[peecee]

The post needs a comma at the very least. But;

He is convicted.

He is on the run.

Many think his orders about the war on drugs

are defacto sanctioning of murder to get the numbers up.

And revenge for Oaks OD'ing by some reports.

(Whether this line is keepable is a question...)

The red shirts at Songkran were vigilantes.

And their actions at many sites have smacked of vigilateism.

He even calls them his Peoples Army of Thailand now and appointed Chavalit leader.

Which has the sound of many communist freedom fighter armies of lore.

Sounds rather south American to me. I bey "The Brain" is thrilled with this one...

One thing to stand up for the political side another to be leading

a tiny opposition army, against a REAL army

Saed Deng is clearly and openly working for him,

and making threats in his interests.

Core supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra reveal

Not directly atributable, but clearly more PR verbiage.

Bet this is Jatuporn or his moutpiece spouting off,

and I bet Chavalit is thrilled to tears to know he is

a revolutionary army commander at his age...

REAL army v barmy army! Best keep dad's army out of this one!

[Loaded]

If Thaksin manages to regain power using these tactics, what sort of country will Thailand become after he returns, consolidates power and eliminates his enemies. The crack down on drug pushers that led to 2,500 extra-judicial deaths will seem like a picnic in the park.

[webfact]

UPDATE

PEOPLE'S ARMY

No armed struggle by red shirts: Chavalit

By The Nation

Published on February 5, 2010

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh yesterday brushed off news reports that he was poised to become the supreme commander of the People's Army for Democracy under His Majesty the King, a newly formed offshoot of the red shirts.

"I resumed my political activities because I aspire to bring about social unity, and peace by peaceful means," he said.

Chavalit rigorously denied condoning a violent struggle designed to trigger political changes.

In coming out of retirement, he said, he had five objectives: to prove that the Pheu Thai Party and the red shirts were loyal to the monarchy; to foster reconciliation; to quell violence in the strife-torn South; to ensure good understanding between Thailand and neighbouring countries; and to eradicate poverty.

He said he was in complete agreement with ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who he believes is an advocate for peaceful means.

"Before I joined Pheu Thai, Thaksin said directly to me that he had opted for a peaceful struggle to foster reconciliation and uphold the country's interests," he said in defence of Thaksin's involvement in the suspected violent struggle.

Last week a number of red-shirt leaders, including Panlop Pinmanee and Maj-General Khattiya "Seh Deang" Sawasdipol, paid a visit to Thaksin in Dubai.

In a telephone interview on Wednesday, Panlop said the red shirts, with Thaksin's blessing, had agreed to form the armed offshoot and that Chavalit would lead the red shirts to victory.

In the same interview, Khattiya said the organisational structure of the opposition movement was now complete with Pheu Thai as the party, the red shirts as its front and the armed units. Many see such a structure as a reminder of the communist insurgency during the Cold War.

Panlop and Khattiya both said the government had until the end of this month to negotiate a settlement with Thaksin or risk facing an eruption of violence in which even Thaksin would not be able to control what the red shirts would do.

Panlop said Thaksin aimed to bring back the suspended 1997 charter to pave the way for House dissolution and a snap election. He added that the ex-premier did not set the Bt76 billion asset-seizure case as a pre-condition for negotiations but wanted his conviction to be expunged and his two-year jail sentence revoked.

Reacting to Panlop's remarks, Chavalit said he still believed Panlop did not mean to incite a violent struggle, although he might have been using "strong wording" like a soldier.

"It is impossible for me to become the supreme commander because this would duplicate the job of my dear younger brother Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatara," he said.

He said the red shirts shared the same aspirations as the yellow shirts and other camps under different colours in seeking justice and democracy.

He said he always viewed himself as part of the movement to advance justice and democracy but not in a violent way.

"It is not true that the red shirts would rely on illegal or violent means to bring about changes," he said, insisting the offshoot of the red shirts as mentioned by Panlop was misunderstood.

He said he did not anticipate an eruption of violence this month as feared. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva should not be overly concerned about the situation plunging into mayhem, he added.

In regard to his ties with the chief royal adviser, he said he remained respectful although General Prem Tinsulanonda was not quite happy with his decision to team up with Pheu Thai. But this would pass eventually, he said, voicing optimism he would win back Prem's good graces.

-- The Nation 2010-02-05

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[animatic]

If Thaksin manages to regain power using these tactics, what sort of country will Thailand become after he returns, consolidates power and eliminates his enemies. The crack down on drug pushers that led to 2,500 extra-judicial deaths will seem like a picnic in the park.

It is exactly the prospect of that coming to pass,

that keeps me countering many of the comments I see on here.

I don't for a minute think a returned Thaksin will be a benign leader of all Thais.