Thai Army Chief Prayuth Apologises To Astv-Manager Daily

[webfact]

ARMY CHIEF

Prayuth apologises to ASTV-Manager daily

Panya Thiosangwan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday issued a public apology to the ASTV-Manager daily over his men holding a rally outside the paper's offices on Friday and Saturday.

He said he was also sorry about his moodiness recently, adding that he had ordered an investigation into the protest led by the men in uniform and hoped his subordinates would be "patient".

The move came after ASTV-Manager daily called Prayuth "lousy" for his stance in relation to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

Prayuth was speaking to reporters after he attended an event celebrating the First Area Army's 103th anniversary where many military officers came to give him moral support.

"I must apologise to the society for my irritating behaviour, but I speak like a soldier. I may have spoken harshly, but you know it is my habit.

"As for soldiers who went to the ASTV-Manager office, I had their actions investigated and have learned that they asked for permission [before going].

"Also they did this outside office hours, so they have not done anything wrong. They were not instructed to go but were hurt that their colleagues had been injured or lost their lives [when protecting the country in Thai-Cambodian border skirmishes] but the Army is still being unfairly blamed," Prayuth said.

The Army chief had earlier told soldiers to not join the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rally related to the Preah Vihear because he said soldiers' position should be clear and neutral.

When asked what he thought about ASTV owner and PAD co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul's harsh words against him, Prayuth said they both know what is appropriate. "I will never bar ASTV reporters from doing their job, and when I mentioned the newspaper, I did not blame any particular person. I apologise if my 'soldier-like' remarks [made the newspaper] feel insulted."

Yesterday, ASTV-Manager thanked Prayuth for his apologies in a message posted on its website.

It said it appreciated the military for protecting the country from the threats of political ideology as well as the violence in the South, and for its help during the 2011 flood crisis.

However, it will continue scrutinising the military and would also listen to criticisms along the principles of mutual respect.

In response to the Thai Journalists Association's statement in relation to the issue, the Army said yesterday that it was too soon to judge that the military was intimidating the media and that the officers had only gathered to "show their concern".

-- The Nation 2013-01-15

[Somtamnication]

So it took 2 days to call them back to the barracks. If he cannot control his army, what will happen next year when ................................

With 2000 generals in the Thai armed forces, surely one of them could have picked up the phone and told their commander use their built in phone in their Merc S500 and call the pawns in.

[15Peter20]

So it took 2 days to call them back to the barracks. If he cannot control his army, what will happen next year when ................................

With 2000 generals in the Thai armed forces, surely one of them could have picked up the phone and told their commander use their built in phone in their Merc S500 and call the pawns in.

Yes, but then whoever would have 'called the pawns in' would have been seen as being anti 'the Boss' and their career prospects would have taken a sharp nosedive. This is the idiocy that arises from a system where patronage trumps universal regulations, and where the army trumps everything.

[Thai at Heart]

The move came after ASTV-Manager daily called Prayuth "lousy" for his stance in relation to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

He shouldn't even have a public stance on the issue. This is the eternal problem about the role of the army in Thailand. If they stick their nose continually into politics, expect to get a bad whiff occasionally.

Stinky stuff, Thai politics.

[tomross46]

This is the sign, of a true Officer & a Gentleman. If there is a problem, accept it and resolve it. He is not like politicians than only want to blame someone else, and not take responsibility for anything. A good man. Thailand is what it today because of corrupt politicians, not because of the Military.

[Thai at Heart]

This is the sign, of a true Officer & a Gentleman. If there is a problem, accept it and resolve it. He is not like politicians than only want to blame someone else, and not take responsibility for anything. A good man. Thailand is what it today because of corrupt politicians, not because of the Military.

This really has to go down as the most rose tinted post in the history of Thaivisa. It's like claiming that Man U has had no effect on British soccer with 19 league titles. Thai Army, is it 17 or 18 coups so far? Does William Hill run a sweep on the timing of the next one?

[cup-O-coffee]

This is the sign, of a true Officer & a Gentleman. If there is a problem, accept it and resolve it. He is not like politicians than only want to blame someone else, and not take responsibility for anything. A good man. Thailand is what it today because of corrupt politicians, not because of the Military.

Accept it... resolve it... step down; or clean house to put your money where your mouth is. Officers and gentlemen are not given over to mere words over actions which were taken and which render any and all subsequent "mere words" useless tripe.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling quite myself." should not be acceptable in the minds of a general public who relies on this man's ability to make the correct decisions in times of emergency and war (not likely, but nevertheless). That is how I view proper behavior of an O&G.

Those tin-men should never have shown up, and in doing so, they made themselves out to be lacking in the O&G department. You don't join the military and then start your own political rally to accuse the very thing your are sworn to protect; free speech. It is really second class behavior in my view. They should have just laughed about it in their barracks and been satisfied with that, if they are half the men they think they are.

The military should be the cream of the crop from the general population; not a bunch of cry-babies who whine when they are insulted by mere words which may very well hold some truth in them. This is a knee-jerk reaction, and stupid on their part. This has nothing to do with dead comrades, and rather takes on a menacing threat if they think they are owed something by the general population for simply doing their job and accepting the risks which go with it. That's life! Get a grip and get busy being "tough-as-nails" soldiers.

[khunken]

This is the sign, of a true Officer & a Gentleman. If there is a problem, accept it and resolve it. He is not like politicians than only want to blame someone else, and not take responsibility for anything. A good man. Thailand is what it today because of corrupt politicians, not because of the Military.

This really has to go down as the most rose tinted post in the history of Thaivisa. It's like claiming that Man U has had no effect on British soccer with 19 league titles. Thai Army, is it 17 or 18 coups so far? Does William Hill run a sweep on the timing of the next one?

Rubbish. He apologised - how many politicians do that?

[stoli]

"I must apologise to the society for my irritating behaviour, but I speak like a soldier. I may have spoken harshly, but you know it is my habit.

"As for soldiers who went to the ASTV-Manager office, I had their actions investigated and have learned that they asked for permission [before going].

"Also they did this outside office hours, so they have not done anything wrong. They were not instructed to go but were hurt that their colleagues had been injured or lost their lives [when protecting the country in Thai-Cambodian border skirmishes] but the Army is still being unfairly blamed," Prayuth said.

Since when did soldiers have office hours? This is not the way soldiers act, and they certainly don't do so unless they were told to. They follow orders. Period!

[Thai at Heart]

This is the sign, of a true Officer & a Gentleman. If there is a problem, accept it and resolve it. He is not like politicians than only want to blame someone else, and not take responsibility for anything. A good man. Thailand is what it today because of corrupt politicians, not because of the Military.

This really has to go down as the most rose tinted post in the history of Thaivisa. It's like claiming that Man U has had no effect on British soccer with 19 league titles. Thai Army, is it 17 or 18 coups so far? Does William Hill run a sweep on the timing of the next one?

Rubbish. He apologised - how many politicians do that?

I haven't done a tally, but what percentage of the years in this so called democracy have the army been in power or the PM been a current or retired member of the army?

The army has influenced Thai politics more than any Thai civilian politician.

[metisdead]

A post has been removed due to possible violation of copyright and non compliance of fair use. It is generally accepted, but not written into law, that quoting the first two or three sentences of an article and giving a link to the source is considered “fair use” and not a violation of copyright.

[Payboy]

I'm so touched, I cried myself through a whole box of Tamp.....errr Kleenex.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Payboy

[khaowong1]

I haven't done my due diligence, but it would appear that up unto the last three P.M.'s, Thailand has pretty much always had a P.M. that was a former General.. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but you get my drift..