NEW DEFENCE MINISTER

Army chief safe: 'He's done no wrong'

The Nation on Sunday

Sukampol plays down coup remarks by General Bunlert

Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat has denied that his appointment was intended to defuse any attempt to stage a coup, insisting he would not transfer Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha.

"There is no plan to transfer the Army chief. He has done nothing wrong. He worked very hard during the floods,'' Sukampol said.

Speaking during an interview on the programme "Lab Luang Prang" on FM 100.5 yesterday, Sukampol urged the media to stop speculating on the possibility of another coup.

"No one wants to stage a coup. It is not easy now. We have all learnt a lesson. I have not come to solve the coup problem. That's not to say that now I'm here, there will not be a coup. It is not like that,'' he said.

Responding to General Bunlert Kaewprasit's comment that there would be a coup, and that the chances of it increased as the number of lese majeste offences being committed rose, the minister said he did not think the rising number of such offences was a reason to stage a coup.

Asked if he would play a role in the annual military reshuffle, Sukampol said he expected to use reason in performing his duties.

Asked how he would tackle divisions in the military between the Burapapayak and Wongthewan camps, he said the split had become the norm in the Army and he would not interfere in its affairs, only oversee policies.

During the same programme, General Bunlert spoke out against the move to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code relating to lese-majeste offences, calling on the Thai military to put its foot down.

"Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy.

-- The Nation 2012-01-22

One can almost smell the negotiations between the two sides of uglies.

"Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

Children soldiers are running the place.

Oh dear. Another coup coming. Another GOOD coup.

A nonsense baiting post has been removed.

""Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy."

In a true democracy making statments like this would be unconstitutional and a reason that a general looses his job and pension directly.

Oh dear. Another coup coming. Another GOOD coup.

Surely the minister is saying that there isn't a coup coming, which surely means time for MP-Jatuporn to change his very-long-playing record, and also that the army chief did nothing wrong during the Red-Shirt riots ?

Also that some coups might indeed be GOOD ? Is that official PTP policy ?

This might not be a popular message, with some in his own camp, was he authorised by the 'big boss' to say this ?

Or will he too fall victim to the next Cabinet reshuffle, in June ? To loose one Defense-Minister is unfortunate, but to lose two would surely be beyond a coincidence, in a Cabinet hand-picked by PM-Yingluck, for their skills and relevant-experience.

Edited January 22, 201214 yr by Ricardo

Oh dear. Another coup coming. Another GOOD coup.

Surely the minister is saying that there isn't a coup coming, which surely means time for MP-Jatuporn to change his very-long-playing record, and also that the army chief did nothing wrong during the Red-Shirt riots ?

Also that some coups might indeed be GOOD ? Is that official PTP policy ?

This might not be a popular message, with some in his own camp, was he authorised by the 'big boss' to say this ?

Or will he too fall victim to the next Cabinet reshuffle, in June ? To loose one Defense-Minister is unfortunate, but to lose two would surely be beyond a coincidence, in a Cabinet hand-picked by PM-Yingluck, for their skills and relevant-experience.

I'm so glad you clarified this. Many people on this board were wrongly thinking the Cabinet hand picked by PM-Yingluck was because of nepotism or paybacks.

""Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy."

In a true democracy making statments like this would be unconstitutional and a reason that a general looses his job and pension directly.

""Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy."

In a true democracy making statments like this would be unconstitutional and a reason that a general looses his job and pension directly.

i could not give a fig what you think the only thing that has saved Thailand from that megalomanic is Thai army and I and my Thai family for one would cheer day if it comes they finally put the traitors down and Thailand was rid of this bunch of thugs

""Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy."

In a true democracy making statments like this would be unconstitutional and a reason that a general looses his job and pension directly.

""Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy."

In a true democracy making statments like this would be unconstitutional and a reason that a general looses his job and pension directly.

i could not give a fig what you think the only thing that has saved Thailand from that megalomanic is Thai army and I and my Thai family for one would cheer day if it comes they finally put the traitors down and Thailand was rid of this bunch of thugs

Thanks for your detailed and quality remarks.

Edited January 22, 201214 yr by hanuman2543

""Section 112 must not be touched, or amended, as it involves the monarchy. The military must take action and not only speak. The monarchy has been insulted a lot over the past seven to eight years. If it continues too much, the military cannot tolerate it, they will stage a coup definitely. I was a rebel so I believe there will be [a coup]."

He also warned people who are not loyal to the monarchy that their activities will be short-lived.

He said he would like to see a coup if lese-majeste offences remain rife - not as a power grab, but to protect the monarchy."

In a true democracy making statments like this would be unconstitutional and a reason that a general looses his job and pension directly.

A "I would like to see" statement is unconstitutional?? That also does not sound very democratic to me.

i could not give a fig what you think the only thing that has saved Thailand from that megalomanic is Thai army and I and my Thai family for one would cheer day if it comes they finally put the traitors down and Thailand was rid of this bunch of thugs

"Put Down" ! Surely a committed defender of liberal democracy such as your good self is not suggesting that elected politicians should be killed by the military?

PS - haven't you gone yet? If I remember correctly you were only staying in Thailand until you had got your money out?

i could not give a fig what you think the only thing that has saved Thailand from that megalomanic is Thai army and I and my Thai family for one would cheer day if it comes they finally put the traitors down and Thailand was rid of this bunch of thugs

"Put Down" ! Surely a committed defender of liberal democracy such as your good self is not suggesting that elected politicians should be killed by the military?

PS - haven't you gone yet? If I remember correctly you were only staying in Thailand until you had got your money out?

There are plenty of NIMBY (not in my back yard) liberal democrats on this forum. "Not ready yet. Needs more time.....drone.....drone....."