Don't Interfere With Thai Military : Ex-Defence Minister Prawit

[webfact]

Don't interfere with military : Ex-Defence minister

THE NATION

Former defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday voiced opposition to suggested amendments to the reshuffle of the military line-up, arguing that only soldiers know best about their job assignments.

"The intention of the military line-up law is to foster unity in the armed forces," he said.

Prawit added that the Defence Ministry Administrative Act was enacted on the basis of professional performance evaluation. Only soldiers were in the position to decide who within their ranks should serve in what position, he said.

The existing provisions were designed to ensure professional assessment at each echelon of the armed forces without meddling from outsiders, he said. For instance, the regional commander could not interfere with the battalion assignments without going through the division commander first, he explained.

He warned that any attempts to meddle with military assignments would demoralise the armed forces.

The debate on the military reshuffle happened after a number of Pheu Thai MPs complained that neither the defence minister nor the government had any say in dispensing military assignments.

The MPs floated the idea of amending the law, though the main coalition party did not take a clear stand on the issue.

A group of 30 red-shirt supporters staged a mock funeral in front of the Army headquarters to protest against the military line-up, which saw a number of officers involved in last year's anti-riot operations being promoted.

The protesters included Phayao Akhad, whose daughter Kamolket was killed while attending to patients inside Wat Pathum Wanaram last May.

In another development, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha dismissed allegations that soldiers were being trained in Israel in preparation for the next military coup.

"This [military] is not a cartoon," he said, adding that he was unaware of any coup plot and that his hands were already full with the flood-relief operations.

On Saturday, Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan said he suspected a contingent of special Israel-trained forces were working as bodyguards to a doctor involved in the opposition movement. He further alleged that the opposition movement was a pretext to trigger a coup. Many see this comment as a veiled attack against the multi-coloured shirt movement.

-- The Nation 2011-10-05

[tragickingdom]

Prawit must be one of the biggest moron's on two legs, roaming Thailand's streets. In any democratic society the politicians interfere in the army. Only in undemocratic societies where coup are tolerated the military themselves prepare reshuffle lists and tell the countries elected people who will become new army chiefs. Besides half the generals and officers have to go, the tax payer is footing the bill for the incompetent Napoleon's army. Do as in the US, the UK or any other country, appoint people you can build upon and purge all others. Nobody elected Prayuth and their cronies, there is therefore not one reason why they should tell the elected people who should be appointed on leading positions so the army can put the elected men and women out of power when they feel the urge to do so.

Prawit should have told his men in the army: Don't interfere with politics.

[sprq]

Prawit must be one of the biggest moron's on two legs, roaming Thailand's streets. In any democratic society the politicians interfere in the army. Only in undemocratic societies where coup are tolerated the military themselves prepare reshuffle lists and tell the countries elected people who will become new army chiefs. Besides half the generals and officers have to go, the tax payer is footing the bill for the incompetent Napoleon's army. Do as in the US, the UK or any other country, appoint people you can build upon and purge all others. Nobody elected Prayuth and their cronies, there is therefore not one reason why they should tell the elected people who should be appointed on leading positions so the army can put the elected men and women out of power when they feel the urge to do so.

Prawit should have told his men in the army: Don't interfere with politics.

Though I agree that the armed forces need root-and-branch reform, you're quite wrong and Prawit is quite right about who should choose what officer and for what post in the armed forces. In the US and the UK, and probably all truly democratic nations, the way it works is that the government chooses the top guy -- the chief of staff of the armed forces -- and controls him in general terms. However, matters of promotion and job placement, as well as day-to-day operational decisions, are totally under the control of the armed forces themselves.

The point about Thailand, in command terms, is that the armed forces are not under the overall control of the elected government, and do as they dam_n well wish.

[gl555]

While coups and what not may seem disagreeable to most other 'civilized' nations, in Thailand, the Army really is the last check against corrupt Prime Ministers, certainly not the House of Representatives or the courts.

If Thaksin had been PM in most other 'civilized' nations, he would have been impeached and thrown in jail already. This is Thailand so he got away with shit he wouldn't have been able to pull anywhere else. If it weren't for the Army, we'd still be under his thumb. And it's because of the Army, his sister has to think twice before pulling any shit. I really hope she pushes her luck beyond the boundaries and they stage another coup. I really do.

[Cnxforever]

"The intention of the military line-up law is to foster unity in the armed forces," he said.

I was totally wrong then assuming that the intention was to recoup the money they have paid over the years to their superiors to get where hey are in the first place??

Why is the man not in prison yet??

Wasn't he involved in an illegal coup and authorized the use of war weapons against unarmed civilians??

No wonder Thailand is going backwards with pathetic people like him in charge!

[ilyushin]

"The intention of the military line-up law is to foster unity in the armed forces," he said.

I was totally wrong then assuming that the intention was to recoup the money they have paid over the years to their superiors to get where hey are in the first place??

Why is the man not in prison yet??

Wasn't he involved in an illegal coup and authorized the use of war weapons against unarmed civilians??

No wonder Thailand is going backwards with pathetic people like him in charge!

I look forward to the next few phases of the re-shuffles. "I'm, IN!" and "You're OUT!" will soon be over and the real power foundation sets in. They will be so difficult and absolute in their ways only. Forget anyone outside their pool having a chance. Glad that I am on the right side of the color war line. How about you?

[alstaxi]

While coups and what not may seem disagreeable to most other 'civilized' nations, in Thailand, the Army really is the last check against corrupt Prime Ministers, certainly not the House of Representatives or the courts.

If Thaksin had been PM in most other 'civilized' nations, he would have been impeached and thrown in jail already. This is Thailand so he got away with shit he wouldn't have been able to pull anywhere else. If it weren't for the Army, we'd still be under his thumb. And it's because of the Army, his sister has to think twice before pulling any shit. I really hope she pushes her luck beyond the boundaries and they stage another coup. I really do.

[Arkady]

Prawit must be one of the biggest moron's on two legs, roaming Thailand's streets. In any democratic society the politicians interfere in the army. Only in undemocratic societies where coup are tolerated the military themselves prepare reshuffle lists and tell the countries elected people who will become new army chiefs. Besides half the generals and officers have to go, the tax payer is footing the bill for the incompetent Napoleon's army. Do as in the US, the UK or any other country, appoint people you can build upon and purge all others. Nobody elected Prayuth and their cronies, there is therefore not one reason why they should tell the elected people who should be appointed on leading positions so the army can put the elected men and women out of power when they feel the urge to do so.

Prawit should have told his men in the army: Don't interfere with politics.

You are right but improving the efficiency of the military and reducing corruption is not the government's goal. They want to get control of it and politicise it in the other direction by putting in their own political appointees and continue the corruption with new heads in the trough.

[whybother]

"The intention of the military line-up law is to foster unity in the armed forces," he said.

I was totally wrong then assuming that the intention was to recoup the money they have paid over the years to their superiors to get where hey are in the first place??

Why is the man not in prison yet??

Wasn't he involved in an illegal coup and authorized the use of war weapons against unarmed civilians??

No wonder Thailand is going backwards with pathetic people like him in charge!

Isn't one of the generals involved in the coup in the coalition government? It seems that coups are OK for some people.

[whybother]

Prawit must be one of the biggest moron's on two legs, roaming Thailand's streets. In any democratic society the politicians interfere in the army. Only in undemocratic societies where coup are tolerated the military themselves prepare reshuffle lists and tell the countries elected people who will become new army chiefs. Besides half the generals and officers have to go, the tax payer is footing the bill for the incompetent Napoleon's army. Do as in the US, the UK or any other country, appoint people you can build upon and purge all others. Nobody elected Prayuth and their cronies, there is therefore not one reason why they should tell the elected people who should be appointed on leading positions so the army can put the elected men and women out of power when they feel the urge to do so.

Prawit should have told his men in the army: Don't interfere with politics.

You are right but improving the efficiency of the military and reducing corruption is not the government's goal. They want to get control of it and politicise it in the other direction by putting in their own political appointees and continue the corruption with new heads in the trough.

Thaksin actively re-politicized the military, installing his old friends, classmates, and relatives in key positions.

http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?ccrcountry=171&ccrpage=37&edition=8&page=140

[bigbamboo]

While coups and what not may seem disagreeable to most other 'civilized' nations, in Thailand, the Army really is the last check against corrupt Prime Ministers, certainly not the House of Representatives or the courts.

If Thaksin had been PM in most other 'civilized' nations, he would have been impeached and thrown in jail already. This is Thailand so he got away with shit he wouldn't have been able to pull anywhere else. If it weren't for the Army, we'd still be under his thumb. And it's because of the Army, his sister has to think twice before pulling any shit. I really hope she pushes her luck beyond the boundaries and they stage another coup. I really do.

Using the UK as an example the Armed Forces are loyal to the Head of State, in our case the Queen and in turn the nation. They are not there to serve any here today, gone tomorrow political regime. Politicians should serve the people as the civil servants they are not interfere with the nation's military.

[gl555]

King/Queen and Country. That's the motto.

While coups and what not may seem disagreeable to most other 'civilized' nations, in Thailand, the Army really is the last check against corrupt Prime Ministers, certainly not the House of Representatives or the courts.

If Thaksin had been PM in most other 'civilized' nations, he would have been impeached and thrown in jail already. This is Thailand so he got away with shit he wouldn't have been able to pull anywhere else. If it weren't for the Army, we'd still be under his thumb. And it's because of the Army, his sister has to think twice before pulling any shit. I really hope she pushes her luck beyond the boundaries and they stage another coup. I really do.

Using the UK as an example the Armed Forces are loyal to the Head of State, in our case the Queen and in turn the nation. They are not there to serve any here today, gone tomorrow political regime. Politicians should serve the people as the civil servants they are not interfere with the nation's military.

[OzMick]

"The intention of the military line-up law is to foster unity in the armed forces," he said.

I was totally wrong then assuming that the intention was to recoup the money they have paid over the years to their superiors to get where hey are in the first place??

Why is the man not in prison yet??

Wasn't he involved in an illegal coup and authorized the use of war weapons against unarmed civilians??

No wonder Thailand is going backwards with pathetic people like him in charge!

Unarmed civilians? Those firing M-79 grenades, RPGs and military rifles in and around BKK were an armed insurrection, the removal of which at the orders of the legitimate government of the day is a normal military function.

And you think he is pathetic!

[Lodestone]

In the US and the UK, and probably all truly democratic nations, the way it works is that the government chooses the top guy -- the chief of staff of the armed forces -- and controls him in general terms. However, matters of promotion and job placement, as well as day-to-day operational decisions, are totally under the control of the armed forces themselves.

For U.S. brigadier (one-star) generals and above:

For promotion to the permanent grade of brigadier general, eligible officers are screened by a promotion board consisting of general officers from their branch of service. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank. This list is then sent to the service secretary and the joint chiefs for review before it can be sent to the President, through the defense secretary, for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, the service secretary, and if applicable, the service's chief of staff or commandant. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, but this is uncommon. The Senate must then confirm the nominee by a majority vote before the officer can be promoted. Once the nominee is confirmed, they are promoted to that rank...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadier_general_%28United_States%29

Edited October 5, 2011 by Lodestone