Ministry bans Thai soldiers to wear uniforms in protests, to stay neutral

[webfact]

Ministry bans soldiers to wear uniforms, but to stay neutral



BANGKOK: -- The permanent secretary of Defense today issued an urgent order banning soldiers from wearing uniforms if they are to participate in any protest and to stay neutral.

Order from the permanent secretary Gen Nipat Thonglek came after several military personnel were arrested by the police for carrying weapons and were involved with the protests.

He said some were arrested with identity cards showing they are security guards of the anti-government protest group.

To prevent any recurrence of such incident, Gen Pipat said in his order that all military staff must stay neutral and to refrain from making political comments.

Moreover, they must not wear uniforms while participating in any politically-related protests or refraining from committing any acts that might be misunderstood are the acts of the military personnel as this could tarnish the image of the Armed Forces.

Violation will damage the military institution, he said, and will face punishment under the military discipline and criminal law if they carry arms and are arrested.

He ordered all military personnel to abide by the order strictly.

Three Navy SEAL officers were arrested by the police Tuesday night when they were stopped at a road checkpoint. Three service handguns, cartridges, bullet-proof jacket, security guard cards issued by the Network for Students and People for the Reform of Thailand were seized.

The officers claimed they were on a narcotic trafficking investigation and therefore needed VIP cards to have access to protest sites.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ministry-bans-soldiers-wear-uniforms-stay-neutral/


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-17

[tominbkk]

"You are banned from participating in protests, and if you do participate you must not wear your uniforms".

[englishoak]

How about this one, the army will help Suthep this weekend in boosting the flagging protest numbers by sending a few regiments in civilian clothing along.

The seal unit were already in plain clothes yet they were still armed, i also dont see any directive to ban personnel from wearing firearms just uniform. Not exactly encouraging.

I shall definitely be watching for this, it makes no sense for this kind of statement so late in the protests, if there was a lot of army previously joining that was causing the army an embarrassment this kind of statement would have come out ages ago.The seal unit getting caught were already out of uniform. I smell Keee kwai here

Edited January 17, 2014 by englishoak

[icommunity]

So there is narcotic trafficking at protest sites. Lucrative business like that of the designer pacifier whistle owned by bluesky. The present of narcotic traffickers is dangerous to the life of innocent protesters. Some herbal medicine business can be lucrative as well because many innocent protesters are suffering from bad hearing.

[Robby nz]

Yes you can never tell when another plain clothes cop will try to smuggle drugs into the protest site.

[Mampara]

I thought the police were not getting invoved in this senario! the last report was that the people were directing trafic and the police were sitting in bars drinking, and playing cards.

[culicine]

"You are banned from participating in protests, and if you do participate you must not wear your uniforms".

and if you participate in the protests you need to stay neutral

[love1012]

Shame black shirt guards from Cambodia couldnt "stay neautral" in 2010 - instead of murdering innocent peoplke and then hiding!! - evidence?? look back at rama 9 arrests 2010 for those with short memory!!

[webfact]

Defence Ministry issues harsh warning against military involvement in protests
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 17 - The Defence Ministry today urgently ordered the three armed forces to strictly see to it that Thailand's military personnel refrain from involvement in anti-government protests.

Gen Nipat Thonglek, Permanent Secretary for Defence, sent out the order via military radio channels after naval enlisted men were arrested with weapons and credentials as security guards.

The order said there was an arrest of military personnel with weapons and evidence showing their involvement in rallies such as security guard credentials.

"This is to emphasise that military officials under the Defence Ministry must be politically neutral and refrain from making criticism, dressing in military uniforms to participate in rallies, creating misunderstanding that tarnishes the armed forces' reputation, or behaving against military discipline," he said in the order.

He warned of criminal and disciplinary action to be taken against military personnel who carry arms and ammunition, or other illegal objects to the rally sites.

"Let me stress that officials of the Defence Ministry and military personnel must be disciplined and strictly see to it that their military forces abide by the military rules and regulations," he concluded. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-17

[heybruce]

Well duh! Officers that participated in protests for either side in uniform should be discharged from the military.

[wwest5829]

"You are banned from participating in protests, and if you do participate you must not wear your uniforms".

You misquoted the article - do not try to mislead me.

[espinoza]

This means that any soldier, officer or lower rank are allowed to fight against the democracy and their legally elected government, but they has to remember to not wear the uniform.

What the <deleted>..k are the military natural talents up to now ????

[espinoza]

Any soldier is committed to serve the legally elected government in good days and in bad days. If they can`t stay to this, they are not soldiers anymore. Just traitors.

[JeffreyWitty]

I have no problem with this. Seems sensible.

We have the exact same rule in the USA. If you are seen at any protest or political rally in uniform - stupid people may take it as a government backed endorsement for whatever candidate or cause is being propped up at the rally.

Edited January 21, 2014 by JeffreyWitty

[aussieinthailand]

"You are banned from participating in protests, and if you do participate you must not wear your uniforms".

NO'P not correct,

the order was if personal were participating in the protests then they are not to wear their uniforms,

were in the OP did it say they are "banned from participating in protests"?

[Thai at Heart]

The permanent secretary of Defense today issued an urgent order banning soldiers from wearing uniforms if they are to participate in any protest and to stay neutral.

How can they stay neutral if they are participating in protests???