Brother of PM one of two in line to be next Army chief
PANYA THIOSANGWAN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- DEFENCE Minister Prawit Wongsuwan is preparing for discussions next month on the annual military reshuffle, as several high-profile generals will reach mandatory retirement age in September, a source said yesterday.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's younger brother General Preecha, now assistant Army chief, looks set to succeed General Udomdej Sitabutr as Army chief, the source said.

Udomdej, who is also deputy defence minister, will retire along with deputy Army chief General Chatchai Sarikulya, who is also commerce minister, and Army Chief-of-Staff General Chatchalerm Chalermsukh.

A source said a rival for the Army's top post was Prawit's favourite protege General Teerachai Nakwanich, also an assistant Army chief.

"Both Preecha and Teerachai are strong candidates. It is believed that one of them will finally become the new Army chief while the other will be appointed the new permanent secretary for defence," the source said.

General Sirichai Distakul, the incumbent permanent secretary for defence, will retire later this year.

September 30 will see 446 Armed Forces officers of general or equivalent rank leaving the service, including Navy chief Admiral Kraisorn Chansuvanich, deputy Navy chief Admiral Pojana Puakpong, deputy Air Force chief ACM Anon Jarayapant, Armed Forces Supreme Commander General Worapong Sanganetra, and deputy supreme commanders General Paiboon Koomchaya, General Wuttinun Leelayudth and ACM Phontep Modsuwan.

General HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is among the outgoing generals.

A source said Navy chief Kraisorn might name his assistant Admiral Narongpol na Bangchang as his successor.

"The discussion will focus on the top post at each armed forces branch first. The next important posts will be discussed later," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Brother-of-PM-one-of-two-in-line-to-be-next-Army-c-30262313.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-15

' In Line ', is this for public consumption to make it look as if there's a genuine selection decision to be made ?

Ah huh...............

Their family must be so proud, 2 sons doing so well based purely on ability and skills.

What a marvelous coincidence, the two best guys for the job are brothers. Must have the same DNA as the Shinawatras.

Makes all much easier.More supreme commanders are urgently needed.

What have all the Shinawatra bashers who were so stridently critical of his nepotism have to say about this? They're all as bad as each other.

Their family must be so proud, 2 sons doing so well based purely on ability and skills.

If, and it's probably not a big one, he gets the job I'm looking forward to all the straight faced assurances it was purely on merit and absolutely no other considerations were involved. ?

Look see nothing up my sleeve Wa-la!!!!! who'd a thunk it? good to have friends(family) in high places huh.

That is a lot of Generals.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for. Of course being a brother helps, but he is not green as grass and filling a role he has no idea on.

Good to see that Prayut does not follow in thaksins nepotistic footsteps by bringing in completely unqualified and inexperienced relatives for positions that are so obviously out of their depth, but were filled by these relatives simply to fulfil the needs of a criminal at the behest of the majority. Don't need to go past yingluck to see a person fill a position that has no experience or background in politics. Zero experience and it showed. Surapong who filled the defence ministers role, but was clueless in what it entailed. Zero experience and it showed.

If Prayuts younger brother was not a veteran military staff member and then brought in as a General it would get the same response from me that the above people did. If yingluck and surapong were veteran politicans and filled the role while bringing something to it that embedded confidence then they would get the same response from me that Prayut's brother is getting.

It is not the person, it is what they bring to the role.

did you all forget about his wife? and her role...?

edit: in the Army? she left a Uni job for it I believe

That is a lot of Generals.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for.

Good to see that Prayut does not follow in thaksins nepotistic footsteps by bringing in completely unqualified and inexperienced relatives for positions that are so obviously out of their depth, but were filled by these relatives simply to fulfil the needs of a criminal at the behest of the majority. Don't need to go past yingluck to see a person fill a position that has no experience or background in politics. Zero experience and it showed. Surapong who filled the defence ministers role, but was clueless in what it entailed. Zero experience and it showed.

If Prayuts younger brother was not a veteran military staff member and then brought in as a General it would get the same response from me that the above people did. If yingluck and surapong were veteran politicans and filled the role while bringing something to it that embedded confidence then they would get the same response from me that Prayut's brother is getting.

It is not the person, it is what they bring to the role.

Reminds me of the TV show 'Tyrant'.

Why would the PM leave him self open to a nepotism accusations? while keeping it in the

family make sense, but surly it could have been done smartly and not in your face move....

Why would the PM leave him self open to a nepotism accusations? while keeping it in the

family make sense, but surly it could have been done smartly and not in your face move....

I'm guessing he either feels secure enough not to give a crap about how bad it looks or is so afraid of the dogs snapping at his heels that he has to resort to desperate measures. Time will tell...

What have all the Shinawatra bashers who were so stridently critical of his nepotism have to ay about this?

'But, but Thaksin...' As above. What else can they say?

What have all the Shinawatra bashers who were so stridently critical of his nepotism have to ay about this? They're all as bad as each other.

in fairness not quite the same is it. These guys have risen through the army ranks and will have an idea what the job requires and presumably have the skill set via training to do the job wheras shins sister and a few others had abso no relevent governmental & or political expirence

rijit

That is a lot of Generals.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for. Of course being a brother helps, but he is not green as grass and filling a role he has no idea on.

Good to see that Prayut does not follow in thaksins nepotistic footsteps by bringing in completely unqualified and inexperienced relatives for positions that are so obviously out of their depth, but were filled by these relatives simply to fulfil the needs of a criminal at the behest of the majority. Don't need to go past yingluck to see a person fill a position that has no experience or background in politics. Zero experience and it showed. Surapong who filled the defence ministers role, but was clueless in what it entailed. Zero experience and it showed.

If Prayuts younger brother was not a veteran military staff member and then brought in as a General it would get the same response from me that the above people did. If yingluck and surapong were veteran politicans and filled the role while bringing something to it that embedded confidence then they would get the same response from me that Prayut's brother is getting.

It is not the person, it is what they bring to the role.

Read his P file have you then?

446 retiring generals is a great opportunity to correct the top-heaviness of the Thai armed forces. I doubt that will happen.

That is a lot of Generals.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for. Of course being a brother helps, but he is not green as grass and filling a role he has no idea on.

"Veteran soldier, risen through the ranks, experience, background", blah blah. So has anyone else at that level. Oh, "Of course being a brother helps", so you admit it.

You are so full of crap your eyes are brown.

Why would the PM leave him self open to a nepotism accusations? while keeping it in the

family make sense, but surly it could have been done smartly and not in your face move....

Because what happens to every leader with absolute authority is happening to him, he is starting to feel invulnerable...untouchable and unaccountable.

1) To be charitable, I knew nothing about Prayuth until he became Army Chief, and similarly I know nothing about his brother ,,, and I don't have any evidence that the little brother is going to be any worse (or better) than Prayuth.

2) There are several factions within the Army - it's not a slam dunk

3) Ultimately, the nominated Army Chief has to be approved by ... others.

That is a lot of Generals.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for. Of course being a brother helps, but he is not green as grass and filling a role he has no idea on.

Good to see that Prayut does not follow in thaksins nepotistic footsteps by bringing in completely unqualified and inexperienced relatives for positions that are so obviously out of their depth, but were filled by these relatives simply to fulfil the needs of a criminal at the behest of the majority. Don't need to go past yingluck to see a person fill a position that has no experience or background in politics. Zero experience and it showed. Surapong who filled the defence ministers role, but was clueless in what it entailed. Zero experience and it showed.

If Prayuts younger brother was not a veteran military staff member and then brought in as a General it would get the same response from me that the above people did. If yingluck and surapong were veteran politicans and filled the role while bringing something to it that embedded confidence then they would get the same response from me that Prayut's brother is getting.

It is not the person, it is what they bring to the role.

Is it true you have a picture of the Gen. in all rooms at your house. If yes, i think even in the bathroom . hallelujah......

Politics at the finest. Rest assured that once Prayut leaves office and we have another election it will be his bother that will sabotage the next government.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for. Of course being a brother helps, but he is not green as grass and filling a role he has no idea on.

555

If you are referring to "valuable Thai credentials", better know as money in the West, then I completely agree with you statement; he probably gained tons of it on his way to the top.

For your own credibility it might be better to sometimes not comment on topics that blatantly point out how corrupt the current regime is and try to whitewash them. Better just ignore those topics and throw some basic "anti-Taksin" rhetoric in other topics to defend your heros.

Their family must be so proud, 2 sons doing so well based purely on ability and skills.

Almost like the Shinawatras. Police, Military, 3PMs....but OK they are more people

' In Line ', is this for public consumption to make it look as if there's a genuine selection decision to be made ?

Well not more or less selection than the last 50 years

Why would the PM leave him self open to a nepotism accusations? while keeping it in the

family make sense, but surly it could have been done smartly and not in your face move....

I'm guessing he either feels secure enough not to give a crap about how bad it looks or is so afraid of the dogs snapping at his heels that he has to resort to desperate measures. Time will tell...

I'm guessing that Gen. Preecha Chan-O is in line for possible promotion due to capabilities, time in rank.

As every position in society is payed for. How can we believe anything.

That is a lot of Generals.

Seems that Prayuts younger brother has risen through the ranks and gained valuable experience and credentials on the way to the top. He is a veteran soldier that has studied at military school and can certainly bring a wealth of military experience and background to which ever role he is chosen for. Of course being a brother helps, but he is not green as grass and filling a role he has no idea on.

Good to see that Prayut does not follow in thaksins nepotistic footsteps by bringing in completely unqualified and inexperienced relatives for positions that are so obviously out of their depth, but were filled by these relatives simply to fulfil the needs of a criminal at the behest of the majority. Don't need to go past yingluck to see a person fill a position that has no experience or background in politics. Zero experience and it showed. Surapong who filled the defence ministers role, but was clueless in what it entailed. Zero experience and it showed.

If Prayuts younger brother was not a veteran military staff member and then brought in as a General it would get the same response from me that the above people did. If yingluck and surapong were veteran politicans and filled the role while bringing something to it that embedded confidence then they would get the same response from me that Prayut's brother is getting.

It is not the person, it is what they bring to the role.

Well if 400+ generals are due to leave military service, it makes you wonder exactly how many there are and what percentage they make up of the Thai Army?

Now, assuming that there were only, say, 1,000 general level ranks in total, what are the chances of this PM's brother being in the very top 0.2% of them?

Sorry but it stinks of nepotism and a sincere desire to maintain a death grip on the country to me.