Thai Army sends out vague signals on coup

[webfact]

Army Sends Out Vague Signals On Coup
By Khasod English


A model posing with soldiers in Bangkok on 21 September 2006, days after the army launched a coup which ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra

BANGKOK: -- Top officials of the Royal Thai Army have made contradictory comments about possibility of a military coup.

Rumours of a possible coup are intensifying in Bangkok as the "shutdown" of Bangkok planned by anti-government protesters is approaching.

The People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of the State (PCAD) vows to occupy major intersections in the capital city on 13 January in the bid to unseat Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, while pro-government Redshirts have also announced they will stage rallies of their own outside Bangkok on the same day.

Many observers see a parallel between the ongoing crisis and the political protests in 2006, when the military ousted the brother of Ms. Yingluck, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in a putsch which they claimed was a necessary step to restore order in Thailand.

Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, has provided vague answers to reporters when asked about a possible coup over the few weeks. Last month, the general refused to rule out a coup, stating that "anything can happen".

Gen. Prayuth told the press along the similar line yesterday, saying that he cannot confirm whether there will or will not be a coup, as it depends on the situation.

"It′s not only about [coup]. Everything happens because there is a cause," Gen. Prayuth said, "If there is no cause for something to happen, it won′t happen".

He added, "Just like the Thai proverb goes: if a cow has a wound on its back, the crow will peck it. If there is no wound, there won′t be any pecking".

The Permanent Secretary of the Royal Thai Army likewise refused to rule out the possibility of a new coup earlier today. Asked by reporters whether there will be a military coup, Gen. Nipat Thonglek simply laughed and continued on his way to attend a meeting at the Royal Thai Police headquarters.

However, Lt.Gen. Charnchai Phuthong, commander of the Second Army Region, downplayed the ongoing rumours about the coup by insisting that the army will only support a peaceful and legal path to resolve the political conflicts.

"Gen. Prayuth has stressed many times that the army belongs to the people and the nation. The current conflict must be solved by peaceful methods in accordance with the laws," Lt.Gen. Charnchai told reporters after he attended an event at Suranaree Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

"We are following that instruction very strictly," Lt.Gen. Charnchai added.

Meanwhile, the official leadership of the Redshirts has encouraged its supporters to be on alert lest the army launches another coup against an elected government.

In a statement, the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship also laid out plans to be executed in the event of a military coup. The plans call on the Redshirts to help escort the Prime Minister to a "more secure" location in the North or Northeastern region, establish a government in exile, gather at their local police stations, and stage protests in front of the military bases in the provinces.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE9URTROREF4TWc9PQ==


-- Khaosod English 2014-01-09

[Nowhereman60]

Gen. Prayuth must be giggling at all the confusion he has caused on both sides. He may have a purpose in doing this.

[waza]

Personally I think the election will be postponed after the 308 PTP politicians are disqualified

[EricBerg]

"If there is no wound, there won′t be any pecking".

Brilliant. If there is no water there will be no swimming. If there are no bullets, there will be no shooting... Plenty of bullets in Bangkok.

[BigBadGeordie]

If I were PTP I would quietly welcome a coup.

12 months or so military rule, get them to sort out the rice mountain, pay the farmers, remove the fuel subsidy, sort out the water management, infrastructure etc.

THEN win the next election by a landslide and back to the feeding trough.

Business as usual!

Just a thought,

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[anto909]

Election will be postponed indefinitely. Not the right atmosphere for an election, apparently!

[chooka]

Then what, change the colour of the protestors and start all over again with people demonstrating against the Army this time. Just have a civil election in 3 weeks time and accept the outcome whatever it may be. Shake hands and move on.

[hughben]

A coup has felt inevitable for weeks. If it is going to happen it may as well happen before the 13th, rather than people having to go through all that standstill annoyance.

[chainarong]

Quiet frankly the whole shebang is Vague, we started out with a protest against the Amnesty Bill ending up with a caretaker government, elections in Feb, a boycotting democrat party, Rice farmers protesting , Suthep protesting (Still), people being shot and Thaskin Shinawatra dinning at the Hilton in Dubai, no wounder the Army is vague , trying to fathom the next move is like winning lotto ,now that's much easier.

[Clint1965]

If I were PTP I would quietly welcome a coup. 12 months or so military rule, get them to sort out the rice mountain, pay the farmers, remove the fuel subsidy, sort out the water management, infrastructure etc. THEN win the next election by a landslide and back to the feeding trough. Business as usual! Just a thought, Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The PTP won't exist soon and they will all be banned, and I think part of the reforms will include life bannings, not 5 years.

There is a very nice report in today's Bangkok Post that says that the NACC will be indicting the lot of them, not just the 308 but Yingluck and her cronies who were cleared of the first charge but will be included in the additional charge. Go read it... It will cheer you up.

[moonao]

The army are in a difficult postion but its all from their own making back in 2006. karmas a b****

[noitom]

The Thai army is "signaling." This is great. Read Chris Baker's book Jungle Book. The amazing Chris Baker points out how corrupt deals get done for decades in Thailand by corrupt politician "signaling" to each other.

[jackr]

Roll them tanks out chaps.

Btw, what a horrible pose by the 'model' -- was she trying for the alien or ghost look? If the point was to look scarier than the soldiers, s/he pulled it off!

Edited January 9, 2014 by jackr

[noitom]

Roll them tanks out chaps. alt=thumbsup.gif pagespeed_url_hash=1443177670 width=25 height=19>

Btw, what a horrible pose by the 'model' -- was she trying for the alien or ghost look? If the point was to look scarier than the soldiers, s/he pulled it off!

Actually, Thailand's mess goes back a bit further than 2006. Try 1932.

[chooka]

Roll them tanks out chaps.

Btw, what a horrible pose by the 'model' -- was she trying for the alien or ghost look? If the point was to look scarier than the soldiers, s/he pulled it off!

I agree about the alleged model, surely they could have found a half attractive one.

[bunny11kk]

If I were PTP I would quietly welcome a coup. 12 months or so military rule, get them to sort out the rice mountain, pay the farmers, remove the fuel subsidy, sort out the water management, infrastructure etc. THEN win the next election by a landslide and back to the feeding trough. Business as usual! Just a thought, Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You mean let other people come to clean you toilet and then come back to pooh again!

[chooka]

Roll them tanks out chaps. alt=thumbsup.gif pagespeed_url_hash=1443177670 width=25 height=19>

Btw, what a horrible pose by the 'model' -- was she trying for the alien or ghost look? If the point was to look scarier than the soldiers, s/he pulled it off!

Actually, Thailand's mess goes back a bit further than 2006. Try 1932.

Was Thaksin around then?

[BigBadGeordie]

If I were PTP I would quietly welcome a coup. 12 months or so military rule, get them to sort out the rice mountain, pay the farmers, remove the fuel subsidy, sort out the water management, infrastructure etc. THEN win the next election by a landslide and back to the feeding trough. Business as usual! Just a thought, Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You mean let other people come to clean you toilet and then come back to pooh again!

That's exactly the way it will be.....again!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[waza]

"The army chief did not rule the possibility of a military coup when asked about the current coup rumor after unusual movement of a large number of troops and their armory in the capital.""Army commander-in-chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said the government must be held responsible if the protest escalated to violence similar to the 2010 riot......... While the regime and its Western backers claim this is an unwarranted threat made by a rogue military, the warning comes after the regime of Thaksin Shinawatra and his nepotist-appointed proxy, sister Yingluck Shianwatra, deployed black-clad gunmen twice (here and here), resulting in multiple deaths, as well as unleashing its "red shirt" enforcers to confront political opponents with violence and intimidation almost daily. The regime has also been making heavy-handed threats against protesters ahead of a January 13 mass mobilization in Bangkok and has even alluded to covert violence." http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/thailand-army-to-regime-you-will-be.html

The plot grows thicker, no wonder Yingluck is calling for a coup, she knows she cant control the redshirts and Thaksins storm troopers and she will be held responsible for the deaths of protestors.

[JoeThePoster]

A model posing with soldiers in Bangkok on 21 September 2006, days after the army launched a coup which ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra

Look what that's done to the radio antenna on the far left.

[frimu]

In some countries the army actually just intervenes to restore order - without a coup. I wonder, why this is never discussed as an option.

[Pops]

Quote:

[Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, has provided vague answers to reporters when asked about a possible coup over the few weeks.]

Beautiful to see that coups in Thailand have become so common.

So common even, that the question: "will there be a coup soon", is considered perfectly normal by the media as well as the people.

[bangkokheat]

Roll them tanks out chaps.

Btw, what a horrible pose by the 'model' -- was she trying for the alien or ghost look? If the point was to look scarier than the soldiers, s/he pulled it off!

I agree about the alleged model, surely they could have found a half attractive one.

well she is half attractive, the other half is ugly

[BrooklynNY]

The model looks as if she either was on drug or anorexic or both. As an artist's point of view, I find this photo distasteful.

Added texts.

I know that the photographer wanted to portray the beauty and the tough looking soldiers but none of those people fit in. The soldiers looked lame and the model looked out of place.

Edited January 9, 2014 by BrooklynNY

[Local Drunk]

If I were PTP I would quietly welcome a coup. 12 months or so military rule, get them to sort out the rice mountain, pay the farmers, remove the fuel subsidy, sort out the water management, infrastructure etc. THEN win the next election by a landslide and back to the feeding trough. Business as usual! Just a thought, Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Actually, they wouldn't welcome a coup. They don't want anyone looking at the books. I'm sure that there are standing orders in this administration to lose the paperwork should a coup happen.

[crazykopite]

Welcome to another day in paradise whoever gets in will run a corrupt government they know no better it is a way of life let the yellow shirts have Bangkok for self rule and the red shirts can run the rest of the country

[spirit47]

The reds ready to split Thailand in two pieces...I think they overestimate their popularity...

[smileydude]

Not surprising as the military is better trained at psychological warfare (mind games) then politicians who are better trained at lying and deceiving. Misdirection is a great weapon.

[geriatrickid]

I would be more concerned about a mutiny if a coup is attempted. It is conceivable that the majority of ranks will not support a coup. Keep in mind the changed demographics of the military. Over 40% of the army is comprised of conscripts with the majority from regions that support the PTP.

Of the remaining 60% who are considered "full time" at least half are also made up of people who would lean towards the PTP. A great many officers know that they cannot advance as long as the elite units and general staff are in the way. Those elite units are comprised mainly of personnel who can be considered anti PTP and were the units used to crush the Redshirt protests after regular units hesitated.

I think this time, a coup will not be as easy and not so bloodless.

[Tahmid]

This is a bit jarring(mentally) =| Looks like this semester(in univ.) is going be delayed a bit more, once again...

Slightly offtopic: My friend's are planning to drop by the 26th Jan, should I tell them to postpone? I haven't been in Thailand long enough to know how "potential" coups affect tourism, unfortunately. The whole recent protest seemed pretty mild and all. Cheers for any advices.