Thai Army chief confirms not taking side nor staging a coup

[webfact]

Army chief confirms not taking side nor staging a coup



BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha wrote in his Facebook page on Thursday that the army does not take side or waits for the right timing to stage a coup.

He warned against people to force the army to take sides, saying that the army will not interfere or infringe upon the rights of the other people and will do its duty the best it can.

He also warned against mud-slinging saying such action will only deepen the conflict and warned protesters to resort to peaceful means while expressing concern that the protests may lead to violence.

The army chief admitted that reform or change is as important as the need of obey the rule of the game. He stressed that, in their performance of duties, officials must try to create better understanding with the people.

Again, he repeated the mantra that the army is duty-bound to ensure the safety of the people.

General Prayuth further said that there are problems regarding corruption, the exercise of power by the state, enforcement of the law and public confidence in the state.


Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/army-chief-confirms-taking-side-staging-coup/


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-10

[EricBerg]

Prayuth sounds integer alright, but when masses start moving things can easily go out of control. Anything can happen then.

[webfact]

Army 'neutral' in current political conflict
The Nation


Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra chairs a meeting at Royal Thai Police headquarters to assess the preparations for the Bangkok shutdown planned for Monday by anti-government protesters.

BANGKOK: -- The Army has stayed neutral in the current political conflict all along and would like to call on members of the public not to force it to take sides, deputy spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said yesterday.

He also called on netizens to be selective in their use of information obtained through social-media, which he said contained false information and hate speeches, before deciding whether to believe in the postings or spread them.

The colonel said Army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha had maintained his professional etiquette and showed the Army's neutral stance amid the volatile situations. He maintained that the Army needed to perform its duty to maintain peace and order while ensuring safety to people's life and security along with stability to the country.

Reacting to the anti-government campaign by the People's Democratic Reform Committee and other allied groups, Winthai said the PDRC-proposed reform was important to tackle corruption and other political misconduct, but questioned if it was worth injuries or deaths if there was violence associated with the effort. "The Army, therefore, calls for peaceful activities [by the protesters] and lawful enforcement [of law by the police] throughout the campaign," he added.

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered soldiers to take photos for records and evidence during the upcoming political rally.

He urged that the cameraman of every company keep the pictures they've taken as evidence and urged the media to take pictures and clips of the situations as well.

He also said that 40 companies were now performing their duties, according to the order from the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order. Moreover, they have attached ribbons to their uniforms to mark each company and each day.

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday expressed concern about possible infiltration by a third party when the anti-government protesters begin their "Bangkok Shutdown" operation on Monday.

Yingluck called on the demonstrators to maintain a peaceful protest and promised that the government will fully carry out its obligations, but violence is sometimes the work of a third party, which is a concern, she said.

Asked whether she or protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban should be held responsible in case of any violence, she said all parties must help prevent it.

She said the specially created Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order will set up a war room at the Royal Thai Police headquarters to closely monitor the situation and ensure that the authorities patiently provide full security, avoid clashes and abide by international standards in dealing with protesters.

She said she did not believe the people are in favour of a coup and welcomed dialogue through a national-reform forum.

"The answer for a resolution for the country does not rest with me. It's a matter of how we can cooperate so that Thailand moves forward and protesters are satisfied. I'm ready to cooperate," she said.

Yingluck was speaking as she visited Matichon newspaper's office to congratulate the newspaper on its 37th anniversary.


-- The Nation 2014-01-10

[moonao]

"He urged that the cameraman of every company keep the pictures they've taken as evidence and urged the media to take pictures and clips of the situations as well."

+1

(assuming the anti gov protesters don't beat up or attack the media....as they have done several times in the past)

Edited January 10, 2014 by moonao

[tingtong]

Just wonder, when asked

The army In Thailand not takes sides, nor stage a coup...

That is what said.

But somehow, in the end they always do.

[JoeThePoster]

Again, he repeated the mantra that the army is duty-bound to ensure the safety of the people.

18+ coups d'état can't be wrong.

[AryanicAristocrat]

Really! I thought in most countries, the army comes under the government control......in Thailand they seem to be like an independent unit! Not only is political and educational reforms needed in this country but also reforms in the structure of the army. Kick out most of the fat overpaid corrupted generals and put the rest into place, with strict reporting duties to the government.

The current Thai Army chief is a joke. He condones a Bangkok shutdown! ( note I am not a supporter of Thaksin, Yingluck, Abhisit or Suthep but seriously which country in the world condones a capital shutdown!)

Also curious.....why i it that Suthep does not have the balls to make Yaowarat a site of blockages. These thai chinese there are supporting his moves and donating money but yet they do not want blockages in their own area, speaks a lot doesn't it.

[chainarong]

It seems a very strange Army Chief that gives all the info on face/book you would think that the wire service outlets would be the place to go , but no , bloody face / book, I don't know why anybody takes Thailand seriously, this is like the third world war being announce by that idiot in Nth Korea, on twitter.

[noitom]

Really! I thought in most countries, the army comes under the government control......in Thailand they seem to be like an independent unit! Not only is political and educational reforms needed in this country but also reforms in the structure of the army. Kick out most of the fat overpaid corrupted generals and put the rest into place, with strict reporting duties to the government.

The current Thai Army chief is a joke. He condones a Bangkok shutdown! ( note I am not a supporter of Thaksin, Yingluck, Abhisit or Suthep but seriously which country in the world condones a capital shutdown!)

Also curious.....why i it that Suthep does not have the balls to make Yaowarat a site of blockages. These thai chinese there are supporting his moves and donating money but yet they do not want blockages in their own area, speaks a lot doesn't it.

Excellent points.

[noitom]

They keep hedging this third party nonsense. CYA for sure.

[icare999]

Really! I thought in most countries, the army comes under the government control......in Thailand they seem to be like an independent unit! Not only is political and educational reforms needed in this country but also reforms in the structure of the army. Kick out most of the fat overpaid corrupted generals and put the rest into place, with strict reporting duties to the government.

The current Thai Army chief is a joke. He condones a Bangkok shutdown! ( note I am not a supporter of Thaksin, Yingluck, Abhisit or Suthep but seriously which country in the world condones a capital shutdown!)

Also curious.....why i it that Suthep does not have the balls to make Yaowarat a site of blockages. These thai chinese there are supporting his moves and donating money but yet they do not want blockages in their own area, speaks a lot doesn't it.

well many Thais and I are very thankful their is one powerful body who can act as a check and balance to stop total outright dictatorship.

This is not UK or west and as has been proved if they can get away with it governments here will take control of courts and other bodies meant to act as a check against total corruption. <deleted> this government even said they don't accept court judgements.

God help Thailand if any party ever gets control of army because if they did Thailand would certainly be a one party dictatorship.

[wirat69]

Really! I thought in most countries, the army comes under the government control......in Thailand they seem to be like an independent unit! Not only is political and educational reforms needed in this country but also reforms in the structure of the army. Kick out most of the fat overpaid corrupted generals and put the rest into place, with strict reporting duties to the government.

The current Thai Army chief is a joke. He condones a Bangkok shutdown! ( note I am not a supporter of Thaksin, Yingluck, Abhisit or Suthep but seriously which country in the world condones a capital shutdown!)

Also curious.....why i it that Suthep does not have the balls to make Yaowarat a site of blockages. These thai chinese there are supporting his moves and donating money but yet they do not want blockages in their own area, speaks a lot doesn't it.

Excellent points.

What absolute <deleted>. Block Hualumpong and Yaowarat is paralysed. Clearly a little more strategic thought is required before posting!~

[monkeycountry]

Just wonder, when asked

The army In Thailand not takes sides, nor stage a coup...

That is what said.

But somehow, in the end they always do.

No, that is not what was said. There is a big difference between saying that you will not stage a coup and saying that you are not waiting for the right time to stage a coup.

To quote what was actually said:

"the army does not take side or waits for the right timing to stage a coup"

"the army is duty-bound to ensure the safety of the people"

These are the two important sentences in the letter. They translate to:

"The army is not planning a coup, but if violence breaks out, the army is duty bound to stage a coup or otherwise intervene in order to ensure the safety of the people."

It is a warning to Yingluck, that if she cannot control and/or solve the situation, the army will.

Edited January 10, 2014 by monkeycountry

[chrisdom]

Interestingly you could argue that an attempted coup is already underway.

By Wikipedia's definition (below) a coup can be conducted by any group (not always military).

Note the comment about civil war!

"A coup d'état, also known as a coup, a putsch, or an overthrow, is the sudden deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishmenttypically the militaryto depose the extant government and replace it with another body, civil or military. A coup d'état is considered successful when the usurpers establish their dominance. When the coup neither fails completely nor succeeds, a civil war is a likely consequence.

A coup d'état typically uses the extant government's power to assume political control of the country. In Coup d'État: A Practical Handbook, military historian Edward Luttwak states that "[a] coup consists of the infiltration of a small, but critical, segment of the state apparatus, which is then used to displace the government from its control of the remainder." The armed forces, whether military or paramilitary, are not a defining factor of a coup d'état. Lately a view that all coups are a danger to democracy and stability has been challenged by the notion of a "democratic coup d'état", which "respond to a popular uprising against an authoritarian or totalitarian regime and topple that regime for the limited purpose of holding the free and fair elections of civilian leaders.""

[Jawnie]

I continue to be impressed by how well PM YL is holding together and how even-handed she is dealing with the situation. I think the time she spent touring upcountry did a lot to boost her confidence for remaining as PM and for continuing to press for the Feb. 2 elections. It must be hell for her being in Bangkok where it's probably hard for her to find as many friends and supporters as she has outside the city. Also, it's good to see that she spoke out to Suthep saying he is responsible for any violence as much as she. Along the same line, it's good to hear Gen. Prayuth saying the right words that a coup isn't in the works and that the military will remain neutral. Hopefully, YL gave him a good tough lashing for his comment earlier this week that the government alone would be responsible for any violence on the 13th. She's doing a great job in an extremely difficult situation. Bravo!

Edited January 10, 2014 by Jawnie

[tingtongteesood]

"He urged that the cameraman of every company keep the pictures they've taken as evidence and urged the media to take pictures and clips of the situations as well."

+1

(assuming the anti gov protesters don't beat up or attack the media....as they have done several times in the past)

Flaming troll as ever....

[millwall_fan]

Really! I thought in most countries, the army comes under the government control......in Thailand they seem to be like an independent unit! Not only is political and educational reforms needed in this country but also reforms in the structure of the army. Kick out most of the fat overpaid corrupted generals and put the rest into place, with strict reporting duties to the government.

The current Thai Army chief is a joke. He condones a Bangkok shutdown! ( note I am not a supporter of Thaksin, Yingluck, Abhisit or Suthep but seriously which country in the world condones a capital shutdown!)

Also curious.....why i it that Suthep does not have the balls to make Yaowarat a site of blockages. These thai chinese there are supporting his moves and donating money but yet they do not want blockages in their own area, speaks a lot doesn't it.

Excellent points.

What absolute <deleted>. Block Hualumpong and Yaowarat is paralysed. Clearly a little more strategic thought is required before posting!~

I think Hualamphong has been dropped from the list of rally sites - thus giving considerable credence to AryanicAristocrat's proposition.

[nowork114]

The best time for a coup would be Sunday night ...

[tom21]

the army has chosen sides or I should they have not changed sides and are waiting for an excuse for the coup. it look better on face book if they have a good reason

[hellodolly]

Army 'neutral' in current political conflict

The Nation

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra chairs a meeting at Royal Thai Police headquarters to assess the preparations for the Bangkok shutdown planned for Monday by anti-government protesters.

BANGKOK: -- The Army has stayed neutral in the current political conflict all along and would like to call on members of the public not to force it to take sides, deputy spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said yesterday.

He also called on netizens to be selective in their use of information obtained through social-media, which he said contained false information and hate speeches, before deciding whether to believe in the postings or spread them.

The colonel said Army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha had maintained his professional etiquette and showed the Army's neutral stance amid the volatile situations. He maintained that the Army needed to perform its duty to maintain peace and order while ensuring safety to people's life and security along with stability to the country.

Reacting to the anti-government campaign by the People's Democratic Reform Committee and other allied groups, Winthai said the PDRC-proposed reform was important to tackle corruption and other political misconduct, but questioned if it was worth injuries or deaths if there was violence associated with the effort. "The Army, therefore, calls for peaceful activities [by the protesters] and lawful enforcement [of law by the police] throughout the campaign," he added.

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered soldiers to take photos for records and evidence during the upcoming political rally.

He urged that the cameraman of every company keep the pictures they've taken as evidence and urged the media to take pictures and clips of the situations as well.

He also said that 40 companies were now performing their duties, according to the order from the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order. Moreover, they have attached ribbons to their uniforms to mark each company and each day.

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday expressed concern about possible infiltration by a third party when the anti-government protesters begin their "Bangkok Shutdown" operation on Monday.

Yingluck called on the demonstrators to maintain a peaceful protest and promised that the government will fully carry out its obligations, but violence is sometimes the work of a third party, which is a concern, she said.

Asked whether she or protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban should be held responsible in case of any violence, she said all parties must help prevent it.

She said the specially created Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order will set up a war room at the Royal Thai Police headquarters to closely monitor the situation and ensure that the authorities patiently provide full security, avoid clashes and abide by international standards in dealing with protesters.

She said she did not believe the people are in favour of a coup and welcomed dialogue through a national-reform forum.

"The answer for a resolution for the country does not rest with me. It's a matter of how we can cooperate so that Thailand moves forward and protesters are satisfied. I'm ready to cooperate," she said.

Yingluck was speaking as she visited Matichon newspaper's office to congratulate the newspaper on its 37th anniversary.

-- The Nation 2014-01-10

Just kind of warms your heart dosen't it after two and a half years of ignoring the people and shuting down Democrat debate telling her party members to vote to white wash her brother she is now willing to cooperate.

Does she realize that she will have to attend cabinet meetings and parlament sessions to do so? Hard to cooperate when you are in a shopping mall in another country.

When she talks about possable infiltration by a third party. Let me see now We have the PTP we have the anti government protesters. They are the two parties involved. Can it be she is talking about the red shirts under the leadership of the Thaksin court jester Jatuporn?

[tragickingdom]

The man's word is not worth the paper it is printed on. A new government should immediately arrest all army leaders, protest leaders and constitutional judges as well the members of the NACC in the midst of the night, replace them with non partizan people and throw them in jail. Just like they did in Turkey 10 years ago. If not, these people keep on committing crimes against democracy. Prayuth let the judges do the dirty work and commit a judicial coup.

The elite still think that the rural people are fools. They may get only 5% of the educational budget but they hold 95% of the brains.

[hellodolly]

General Prayuth further said that there are problems regarding corruption, the exercise of power by the state, enforcement of the law and public confidence in the state.

I wonder if Yingluck had a mild heart attack or some thing when she learned those facts.

She thought the only problem was getting her brother back in Thailand exonerated of all guilt.

Well maybe on what color to do her nails and which shoes to wear with this outfit and what not but those are personnel problems.

They should not interfere with her job as Prime Minister of Thailand.

[Scamper]

" General Prayuth further said that there are problems regarding corruption, the exercise of power by the state, enforcement of the law and public confidence in the state. "

Those are really huge caveats, and doubtless those will be the ones uppermost in his mind. Indeed, the army will do everything it can to protect the people. A peaceful protest is indeed a legitimate form of expression in a free society. Having said that, if legions of fully armed riot police come charging at protesters, only one side will be in clear need of protection.

[Ulic]

Words.words,words. Just because they say they are neutral does not mean they are neutral.

History indicates they will not be neutral. We shall see what we shall see.

[DrTuner]

Sure, if the army were staging a coup, the generals would be telling about it on their facebook

[kirk0233]

General Prayuth further said that there are problems regarding corruption, the exercise of power by the state, enforcement of the law and public confidence in the state.

Any institution that engages in slavery, such as the Thai military, needs to be investigated as well. It is full of corruption, lack of transparency and it has abused its power repeatedly by overthrowing the elected government. One major problem is that corruption of institutions other than civil government is never discussed; it seems laws make reporters and the average citizen too fearful to acknowledge the problems.

[citizen33]

I wonder whether anybody (the Constitutional Court?) has ever spelled out the detail of the chain of command and accountability for the Royal Thai Army. Chapter 2, Section 10 of the 2007 Constitution says that: 'The King holds the position of Head of the Thai Armed Forces.' However, one might guess that routine accountability would not involve personal audiences with His Majesty. Is there I wonder an arrangement where the Commander-in-Chief (the senior Army general) confers with the Privy Council or the Head of the Privy Council? Or is the Commander-in-Chief left to make his own judgements about what the King would wish? in constitutional terms, how do the Minister of Defence and the Prime Minister enter the picture? In a situation where the monarch's health is not good, one wonders how well any chain of upward accountability would work. There is also the question of what happens when a Royal Decree says one thing and the army contemplates doing something else. Do we have any constitutional lawyers who know on TVF?

Edited January 10, 2014 by citizen33

[sunshine51]

"Army chief confirms not taking side nor staging a coup"

Then it's on then...