Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command Denies Coup Plot

[webfact]

Isoc denies coup plot

The situation has not warranted a military intervention, Internal Security Operations Command spokesman Maj General Ditthaporn Sasamit said on Thursday, dismissing the allegation about top military leaders had met at a safe house to plot a coup.

"Conditions for coup do not exist and the government administration has steadily brought about improvements," he said in reference to poltical turbulence.

Ditthaporn was reacting to the coup plot alleged by Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan.

He said Jatuporn made the allegation in order to attract attention and sway the sentiment.

Commenting on the protest led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, he cited a security assessment report indicating the PAD was unable to draw large crowds because its demands on Thai-Cambodian border were perceived by most people as distant issues.

Some 2,000 protesters showed up at the PAD rally site on Wednesday's night, he said.

Meanwhile a soothsayer Warin Buawiratlert from Chiang Mai made a prediction that a "drastic change", codeword for coup, will happen in April or May, paving way for the installation of a new prime minister, whose initial is P.

Warin is seen as close to coup makers in the 2006 power seizure to oust the then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

-- The Nation 2011-01-27

[Payboy]

Meanwhile a soothsayer Warin Buawiratlert from Chiang Mai made a prediction that a "drastic change", codeword for coup, will happen in April or May, paving way for the installation of a new prime minister, whose initial is P.

I'm just not ready for that yet.

[kuffki]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

[Edwin Buurman]

Is the same guy who predicted a new Tsunami in december which prediction resulted in 25% procent cancellations from

europeans in the Xmas week. And a huge fro

Bookings in Phuket to Chiangmai where this guy coincedently came from!

[whybother]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

[kuffki]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

I do not think either group would want to take on the army, so it is possible. if not stop, perhaps be smaller or contained

I do agree with you on the point of current government and i do agree they are doing as good of a job as one can do in Thailand, but having 2 groups of lunatics may topple the government and new government may end up being a 3rd group of lunatics.

But at the end of the day, i am just speculating.

[webfact]

Deputy PM Suthep says rumour on coup spreads

Deputy PM Suthep says rumour on coup spreads, but believes Army Chief Gen Prayuth will not plan such action; no reinforcement of troops at Thai-Cambodian border

-- TNA 2011-01-27

[hammered]

The allegation started with Jatuporn. Does Jatuporn speak to anyone except the converts? And of course a few journos and of course getting good news for the government and bad news for the opposition off the front page is part of any political operatives game plan. Coup rumours get column inches.

[DP25]

I'm not really sure why they bother responding to these weekly red shirt coup theories. They're quite clearly making them to distract negative attention from themselves and responding to them is just playing their game.

[katasyd]

Meanwhile a soothsayer Warin Buawiratlert from Chiang Mai made a prediction that a "drastic change", codeword for coup, will happen in April or May, paving way for the installation of a new prime minister, whose initial is P

paradorn srichaphan?

Not a bad guy for the job.

[Insight]

Extreme sense of Deja-vu - wasn't this the exact same sequence of events as this time last year.

Only difference now is the source of these baseless and meaningless rumours is suffering an even larger credibility crisis.

[jayjay0]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

Well I certainly don't advocate a coup. Nor do I believe any one other than certain maladjusted individuals think it is a possibility.

But it would sure be nice if the army was to be given a free hand to end these mindless protests.

To protest is OK but to continue to do it where all it does is interfere in other peoples lives on a regular base is not OK and should be stopped.

Let's face it neither yellow or red shirts are going to get what they want and they both know it. The only thing the protest does is to alienate the public.The public all ready knows what they want. Maybe it is to reassure them selves.

[h90]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Making a military government for 2 years wouldn't be that bad.....

[Payboy]

paradorn srichaphan?

Not a bad guy for the job.

Warin Buawiratlert from Chiang Mai

May be he meant Potjaman.

[webfact]

Thai government, army deny coup claims

BANGKOK, January 27, 2011 (AFP) - The Thai government on Thursday denied opposition claims that it faces a military coup amid intensifying street protests and ahead of expected elections.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected the suggestion, by a politician and leader of the anti-government "Red Shirts", that the army was poised to intervene in Thai politics.

"No, they are not thinking of a coup," he said, adding he was "confident" that army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha was not plotting to oust him.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban also denied the claims, but acknowledged some in the deeply divided nation would support a military move -- which would be the 19th actual or attempted coup in Thailand since 1932.

"There may be some groups calling for a coup, but don't call for that, it's not the solution for our country," he said, less than five years after the military ousted the Red Shirts' hero then premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Army spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd also denied any such plans.

"The army chief had repeatedly insisted that he will not stage a coup and in the current circumstances, no military figure would dare to mount a coup," he said.

The government and military were responding to comments by Puea Thai lawmaker Jatuporn Prompan, who said he had learned that some of country's top military leaders had recently met to map out a coup plot.

He said the move would be against the prime minister following fresh protests by the nationalist and royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement, officially named the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Members of the group have camped outside government headquarters in Bangkok since Tuesday to demonstrate against the handling of a border territory dispute with neighbouring Cambodia. They have said they are there to stay.

Abhisit came to power in 2008 after Yellow protests -- including the seizure of two Bangkok airports -- helped to bring down former governments, but relations have since soured.

The PAD, backed by the Bangkok-based elite, are powerful players in Thailand's colour-coded politics and arch-rivals of the Reds, who held their most recent protest on Sunday, attracting around 27,000 supporters.

Thailand remains polarised after the mass opposition Red rallies in April and May last year, which sparked clashes between troops and protesters that left more than 90 people dead, mostly civilians.

Prayut is reported to have overseen the deadly military assault on the Reds' fortified encampment in the heart of Bangkok in May.

But he has vowed to stay out of politics and played down his image as a vociferous opponent of the Reds since becoming army chief in October.

In an interview with AFP in July, Oxford-educated Abhisit, described by the opposition as a "puppet" of the elite and the army, said the military should stay away from politics.

"I hope that the military will continue to respect the constitution and the parliamentary system... and that it would only obey orders from the government that are in accordance with the law," he said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-01-27

[teetersb]

The allegation started with Jatuporn. Does Jatuporn speak to anyone except the converts? And of course a few journos and of course getting good news for the government and bad news for the opposition off the front page is part of any political operatives game plan. Coup rumours get column inches.

Too true! How much longer do we have to put up with the crap Jatuporn spews?

[yellow1red1]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

I see your point, that is might be the only 'calming' apparatus though truly remarkabbly hilarious in the eyes of the World.

HOWEVER, peaceful? you see the military is just as strewn about as the politic. They would just starting fighting among themselves.

So, the coup is highly possible but not the answer. None of the other ones have worked out and this one will be much worse.

BTW, it's too bad Jatuporn gets attached to this prediction as if he is the only one who has suggested it???

For one example, Gwynne Dyer, an International Militray commentator, wrote in May of 2010 that Thailand is heading towards a Burmese style dictatorship. Many, many others have alluded to it as well.

You are correct the other options are to get victories by the corrupt and lunatics, the reds,,, or a win by the lunatics and corrupt the yellows.

When the only flavors on the menu are sheyte,,, one might try eatin mud!

---------

I know someone who has been going to Thailand 2 times a year for 7 years and imports clothes and jewellery to the West. She is going to Indonesia next time, instead.\

very smart young woman. she is predicting absoute catastrophe. she is not red or yellow. and dsnt know who jatuporn is...

she just wants to , safely, stay in business

[housepainter]

Whatever happened to Mystic Meg?

It's not important. It's just that I ask because the UK had it's very own fortune teller as a piece of Saturday night entertainment before the lottery. They even dressed up the old girl in Gypsy gear, head scarf, silver coins and provided the ubiquitous ball of crystal along with studio mist.

I expect the public soon grew tired of the routine. If it's not got Adrian Chiles and some tart shwoing her legs the avargae member of the public finds it boring. You can't vary a woman, showing only her hands, sitting at a table circling them, spouting a bit of harmless rubbish. Even now it sounds rather dull.

A sooth sayer then. I wonder why the Greek and not the modern day fortune teller epithet. Lends it some gravitas perhaps. But then why not mention the spilling of a goat's innards and their interpretation? The Thais do like a bit of gore with their ........ everything.

Do any of you have any hope for Thailand? Seriously, hold the view that progress is alive and well and dwelling in the brains of the average Thai.

I don't.

I thought things were bad when the coup took place. Not because of the coup but rather that those in charge then went and consulted some large trees fro guidance. Or was that what Thaksin did? No, I think he was the one who spoke to large stones. Mostly diamonds.

But then there was a leading vetinarian involved in the rescue of the iguana that was being fed milk by the mother who believed it was the spirit of her dead son. Large enough to tear your arm off for breakfast, the authorities soon intervened. The voice of both science and reason tokk over explaining that it was not only dangerous but feeding the carnivore milk was slowly killing it.

But it's Thailand. So this man of science then adds he'll allow her to keep iot a bit longer so as to get the lottery numbers from it's skin by rubbing it with talcum powder!!!!!!!!!

Man of science. PhD. Quality Education. A man of letters. And yet somewhere in a corner of that circular lobe sided Thai buttock that functions as a brain here in Thailand, is the belief in hokey-pokey woody doody iggledee piggledee nonsense.

Superstitious rubbish in this day and age is found amongst the likes of Haiti where it was a political tool used by Papa Doc to promote fear amongst the populace and therefore control them. In Thailand they all actually believe it!

But when on the one hand you claim to be striving for Asean recognition as a medical hub, and therefore at the cutting edge of medical science and implementation you can not have one foot stcuk in some archaic and ignorant past where 'I talk to the trees' is not the opening lines of an old song but rather the opening lines of a political speech.

Neither can you expect acceptance from foreign Nationals who actually know better and left the boogey man behind aged 10, along with Santa Claus, tooth fairy, ghosts [although we did enjoy 'Ghostbusters' ] and for 70 percent of us, god too. All being replaced with science, logic, common sense.

Acceptiing the smallest doubt and that I could be wrong, I warn you of the initial 'P'.

Pathetic.

[yellow1red1]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

Well I certainly don't advocate a coup. Nor do I believe any one other than certain maladjusted individuals think it is a possibility.

But it would sure be nice if the army was to be given a free hand to end these mindless protests.

To protest is OK but to continue to do it where all it does is interfere in other peoples lives on a regular base is not OK and should be stopped.

Let's face it neither yellow or red shirts are going to get what they want and they both know it. The only thing the protest does is to alienate the public.The public all ready knows what they want. Maybe it is to reassure them selves.

pop quiz... what is it the reds and yellows want?

5 points for each correct answer.

[webfact]

Gen Prawit dismisses coup rumor

BANGKOK, 27 January 2011 (NNT) – Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has brushed aside the alleged attempt of some military top brasses to stage another coup d’état upon the ongoing political uncertainty.

General Prawit declined knowledge of such an issue, adding that it was a groundless allegation against the military. He then asked reporters to seek clarification from Mr Jatuporn Prompan, the deputy chair of the anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) himself.

Mr Jatuporn, also a Pheu Thai MP, on Wednesday gave a press briefing at Parliament, disclosing that a group of high-ranking military figures met in a safe house to discuss preparation and possibility to orchestrate a coup d’état in the country once again under four conditions.

According to the MP, the four conditions are division of people in the country, loss of territory to Cambodia because of failed diplomacy of the Democrat-led government, prevailing unrest in the restive south plus the notorious military cordoning operation against the UDD protest last summer.

Mr Jatuporn revealed that the military figures also discussed about setting up a national government after the coup and assigning an ex-top military leader to deal with the press. He said about 30 companies of soldiers, now under peacekeeping pretext, were ordered to stand by for this mission.

Regarding the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border, the Minister said the relations between military of both sides remained healthy as officers at all levels were coordinating closely.

-- TNA 2011-01-27

[Edwin Buurman]

Mr. Jatuporn deserves a muzzle.

[ScubaBuddha]

Is it coup season already?

[Ricardo]

Meanwhile a soothsayer Warin Buawiratlert from Chiang Mai made a prediction that a "drastic change", codeword for coup, will happen in April or May, paving way for the installation of a new prime minister, whose initial is P.

Is this yet-another sign that there will be an election this Spring ? I myself would agree that this is quite possible.

[oldsailor35]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

Well I certainly don't advocate a coup. Nor do I believe any one other than certain maladjusted individuals think it is a possibility.

But it would sure be nice if the army was to be given a free hand to end these mindless protests.

To protest is OK but to continue to do it where all it does is interfere in other peoples lives on a regular base is not OK and should be stopped.

Let's face it neither yellow or red shirts are going to get what they want and they both know it. The only thing the protest does is to alienate the public.The public all ready knows what they want. Maybe it is to reassure them selves.

OMG ! it would only be a good thing if the army were locked in their barracks or all sent to the south to sort that problem out.

[oldsailor35]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

I see your point, that is might be the only 'calming' apparatus though truly remarkabbly hilarious in the eyes of the World.

HOWEVER, peaceful? you see the military is just as strewn about as the politic. They would just starting fighting among themselves.

So, the coup is highly possible but not the answer. None of the other ones have worked out and this one will be much worse.

BTW, it's too bad Jatuporn gets attached to this prediction as if he is the only one who has suggested it???

For one example, Gwynne Dyer, an International Militray commentator, wrote in May of 2010 that Thailand is heading towards a Burmese style dictatorship. Many, many others have alluded to it as well.

You are correct the other options are to get victories by the corrupt and lunatics, the reds,,, or a win by the lunatics and corrupt the yellows.

When the only flavors on the menu are sheyte,,, one might try eatin mud!

---------

I know someone who has been going to Thailand 2 times a year for 7 years and imports clothes and jewellery to the West. She is going to Indonesia next time, instead.\

very smart young woman. she is predicting absoute catastrophe. she is not red or yellow. and dsnt know who jatuporn is...

she just wants to , safely, stay in business

She is predicting an absolute catastrophe ! But she does'nt even know who Jutaporn is, what an utter twit she must be ! Another thing, she can go to Indonesia, as for every one who goes elsewhere, another comes...................we really don't care, good riddance to her.

[rubl]

She is predicting an absolute catastrophe ! But she does'nt even know who Jutaporn is, what an utter twit she must be ! Another thing, she can go to Indonesia, as for every one who goes elsewhere, another comes...................we really don't care, good riddance to her.

'we don't care'? Just wondering who those 'we' are ?

[jayjay0]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

Well I certainly don't advocate a coup. Nor do I believe any one other than certain maladjusted individuals think it is a possibility.

But it would sure be nice if the army was to be given a free hand to end these mindless protests.

To protest is OK but to continue to do it where all it does is interfere in other peoples lives on a regular base is not OK and should be stopped.

Let's face it neither yellow or red shirts are going to get what they want and they both know it. The only thing the protest does is to alienate the public.The public all ready knows what they want. Maybe it is to reassure them selves.

pop quiz... what is it the reds and yellows want?

5 points for each correct answer.

Money and Power

That was a no brainer

Edited January 27, 2011 by jayjay0

[SteeleJoe]

I am always reassured when the military says there will be no coup because it's not like they've ever had a coup after denying there would be one.

Well...except for every single time they have had a coup.

[jayjay0]

With Reds and now PAD, may be military government is exactly what is needed to to sort everything out and bring country to peace.

If and i say if PAD manages to topple the government, it leaves 2 choices

1. PAD backed government(possible lunatics who could make war with Cambodia)

2. Reds, ie Thaksin backed government(more corruption)

As sad as it sounds, it may well be the only peaceful way out

Do you really think a coup will stop the protests?

The yellows are protesting because of a perceived loss of Thai land. The reds are protesting because of various things related to Thaksin not being in power, including the last coup.

If there is a coup now, neither of these things have changed. So the protests won't stop.

There is absolutely no reason for a coup now. The current government has the support of the army. The current government is not doing anything that is a threat to the country or the army. The current government has the general support of the country (as shown by the lack of people at both protests).

What would the benefit of a coup be to the army, given that all they will do is organise new elections soon after anyway.

Well I certainly don't advocate a coup. Nor do I believe any one other than certain maladjusted individuals think it is a possibility.

But it would sure be nice if the army was to be given a free hand to end these mindless protests.

To protest is OK but to continue to do it where all it does is interfere in other peoples lives on a regular base is not OK and should be stopped.

Let's face it neither yellow or red shirts are going to get what they want and they both know it. The only thing the protest does is to alienate the public.The public all ready knows what they want. Maybe it is to reassure them selves.

OMG ! it would only be a good thing if the army were locked in their barracks or all sent to the south to sort that problem out.

Given the OK they could sort them all out. But it will not happen. Imagine how much better off Thailand would be with out those three wing nut groups. Two of witch have proven that killing is one of there weapons to get what they want. And the third has shown that it has no problem closing Thailand down and making them look like a third world nation and are now actively proposing measures that could lead to war.. Well when it comes to 3 and 4g they are a third world nation.

[SteeleJoe]

Given the OK they could sort them all out.

How?