Thai Army chief denies students, parents being intimidated

[webfact]

Army chief denies students, parents being intimidated
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Defence Minister and Army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr yesterday denied that the government had sent officials to intimidate the parents and members of the New Democracy Movement.

He said the officials wanted to come to an understanding with the parents and their children, since the prime minister wants the country to be peaceful and believes that they should not spark off democracy movements.

"We have no right to get angry. The government has been trying to solve problems. If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on making hem understand that they need to cooperate with us otherwise the country will be ruined," he said, adding that the problems would only intensify if the movement is allowed to continue.

He said he understood the call from lecturers and respectable figures to not punish the students because they are young. "But the academics do not look at the problem from all angles. They only look at one side. Please consider the security issues from a wider perspective or the country will face problems," he said.

He also urged the teachers to not throw support behind the New Democracy Movement as they were headed in the wrong direction. "The government wants nothing more than to establish a sound foundation and ensure security for the country,'' he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Army-chief-denies-students-parents-being-intimidat-30264145.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-10

[lildragon]

"If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on MAKING them understand that they need to cooperate with use otherwise the country will be ruined."

Yeah. Just sit and let that one sink in.

If (when) these protests begin to swell. The only people it Will be ruined for are the armies elitists backers. Stop bullying people, set up an election and leave.

Edited July 10, 2015 by lildragon

[NongKhaiKid]

"If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on MAKING them understand that they need to cooperate with use otherwise the country will be ruined."

Yeah. Just sit and let that one sink in.

If (when) these protests begin to swell. The only people it Will be ruined for are the armies elitists backers. Stop bullying people, set up an election and leave.

No ambiguity there.

[coulson]

Please also help the rest of the world 'understand'

[jerojero]

Of course he is going to SAY that.

[Fat Haggis]

The Army, the biggest autocratic organisation going, in any country, knows more about democracy than the rest of the free thinking population!! ??

"The lunatics have taken over the asylum", and "They're coming to take me away ha ha" spring to mind here

Edited July 10, 2015 by Fat Haggis

[tx22cb]

So, admission that Army officers were sent to the families - not to intimidate them, but to MAKE them (understand that they need to) cooperate until they do.

Excellent military doublespeak, but hardly subtle.

[Emster23]

"He said he understood the call from lecturers and respectable figures to not punish the students because they are young." How about "because they were protesting for return to democracy, and happen to be young"? Couple months ago there was that one man protest walking to police station that was arrested. I think he was at least middle aged. Those in power are as thick as 3 tons or rare books.....

[ExPratt]

Going to get worse I'd say , without doubt. They may be able to shine a light away from their egregious behavior during the referendum , but the longer they remain in Power the more people will start to oppose it

[mmh8]

I think the argument is not a correct one. What about instead of

"He said he understood the call from lecturers and respectable figures to not punish the students because they are young. "But the academics do not look at the problem from all angles. They only look at one side. Please consider the security issues from a wider perspective or the country will face problems," he said."

lecturers and respectable figures call to not punish students, since they have the right to form their own opinions about their country, and to express those feelings in a peaceful way.

I guess the academics exhausted the obvious what the <deleted> issues already and decided to appeal for mercy

if karma is a real thing let it rain down on the oppresive <deleted> in a big way and all their sporn

Edited July 10, 2015 by mmh8

[oneday]

"...He said the officials wanted to come to an understanding with the parents and their children..."

...and how do you do this unless you talk to them and if you talk to them, that is intimidation.

This government has zero credibility...they spin everything...and they spin it quite badly.

[Srikcir]

If 14 students can ruin the country, why does the 300,000+ Thai military exist?

Best to turn the country over to these students now and avoid further CONFLICT in society being created by the Junta.

[bamnutsak]

"If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on making them understand that they need to cooperate with us"

Field Marshall Udomdej is clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Intelligence doesn't seem to be a factor in rising to the top of the Army heap here?

And why is the top Army official even speaking publicly about political events like these protests? I thought the army was "above" politics.

[Fat Haggis]

"If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on making them understand that they need to cooperate with us"

Field Marshall Udomdej is clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Intelligence doesn't seem to be a factor in rising to the top of the Army heap here?

And why is the top Army official even speaking publicly about political events like these protests? I thought the army was "above" politics.

I thought you'd have gathers by now what with all these coups that the Army ARE Thai politics!! They run the country, have you never heard of "Thai politicians are simply the horses, we, the army are the Jockeys " ?

The day the army loses its power base will the the day Thailand can start to move forwards, and future coups dealt with harshly by severely punishing those who perpetrate them.

[NongKhaiKid]

"If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on making them understand that they need to cooperate with us"

Field Marshall Udomdej is clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Intelligence doesn't seem to be a factor in rising to the top of the Army heap here?

And why is the top Army official even speaking publicly about political events like these protests? I thought the army was "above" politics.

I thought you'd have gathers by now what with all these coups that the Army ARE Thai politics!! They run the country, have you never heard of "Thai politicians are simply the horses, we, the army are the Jockeys " ?

The day the army loses its power base will the the day Thailand can start to move forwards, and future coups dealt with harshly by severely punishing those who perpetrate them.

You are so right but unfortunately the army has managed to get itself so ingrained in politics, and other things, that it's hard to imagine them ever being sidelined. Politicians tend to court the military rather than control it.

The army seems to be involved in so much that I think they've lost sight of their supposed primary role of defending the realm from outside aggressors.

[tbthailand]

intimidating family members is standard MO for the military for decades

denying it is standard MO

nothing surprising here...

[MrJohnson]

As others have already said, the Royal Thai Army has always run the country with the assistance of compliant politicians and significant others. They have also run an extremely effective propaganda machine that succeeded in brainwashing the populace into believing that the army simply protects the country and steps in when naughty politicians get out of hand whilst other significant institutions appear to remain unsullied by the political process. Unfortunately for them, the genie is out of the bottle. Modern communications have allowed many people to see through the facade. Only a matter of time before enough people know about it and things change. How that unfolds is anyone's guess but I suspect it will end in tears.

[chainarong]

"If the students insist on continuing their movement, we will insist on making them understand that they need to cooperate with us"

Field Marshall Udomdej is clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Intelligence doesn't seem to be a factor in rising to the top of the Army heap here?

And why is the top Army official even speaking publicly about political events like these protests? I thought the army was "above" politics.

I thought you'd have gathers by now what with all these coups that the Army ARE Thai politics!! They run the country, have you never heard of "Thai politicians are simply the horses, we, the army are the Jockeys " ?

The day the army loses its power base will the the day Thailand can start to move forwards, and future coups dealt with harshly by severely punishing those who perpetrate them.

You are so right but unfortunately the army has managed to get itself so ingrained in politics, and other things, that it's hard to imagine them ever being sidelined. Politicians tend to court the military rather than control it.

The army seems to be involved in so much that I think they've lost sight of their supposed primary role of defending the realm from outside aggressors.

The Military will not give ground unless forced to like the agreement with the last student revolt , to save face, all departments shall be controlled by a General as department head, one of the worst agreements ever known to man kind ,as the military have never stopped running the country , the next time the military wont be so lucky , get the drift.

[chainarong]

If the students and Parents and all their supporters are getting intimidated by cold callers , try two things , refuse to see them and follow up from there or get the students to wire up mic's and cameras and let them roll, then send them either to the media or better still put it on social media, they will scream like scolded cats but hey they will get the message, however section 44 may cover instillation of covert mic's and camera's without a permit in the privacy of your own home , but you can give it a try.

[Nobb]

Every day these so called student try to make the Thai government look bad. They are law breakers who are not satisfied just to be released from jail. They are trying to seek all the press possible to make the government look bad. Put them back in a real jail cell and treat them just like other law breakers. They are trying to get sympathy from they rest of the world at the new governments expense!

[baboon]

Every day these so called student try to make the Thai government look bad. They are law breakers who are not satisfied just to be released from jail. They are trying to seek all the press possible to make the government look bad. Put them back in a real jail cell and treat them just like other law breakers. They are trying to get sympathy from they rest of the world at the new governments expense!

...and are succeeding admirably, to the chagrin of the fascist/crank element. Excellent!

[metisdead]

Some nonsense posts have been removed.

[Fat Haggis]

Every day these so called student try to make the Thai government look bad. They are law breakers who are not satisfied just to be released from jail. They are trying to seek all the press possible to make the government look bad. Put them back in a real jail cell and treat them just like other law breakers. They are trying to get sympathy from they rest of the world at the new governments expense!

Unlike Suthep and his whistleblowing crowd?

[simon43]

Every day these so called student try to make the Thai government look bad. They are law breakers who are not satisfied just to be released from jail. They are trying to seek all the press possible to make the government look bad. Put them back in a real jail cell and treat them just like other law breakers. They are trying to get sympathy from they rest of the world at the new governments expense!

Did you choose your forum nickname for a particular reason? It seems very appropriate