Pm's Post - Supachai To Discuss Terms.

[a2]

Supachai 'to discuss terms' for PM's post

Former WTO chief has tentatively accepted invitation to lead an interim government

Supachai Panitchpakdi has tentatively accepted the ruling military council's invitation to become Thailand's interim prime minister, high-placed sources said yesterday.

Dr Supachai's agreement came after Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and former National Security Council secretary-general Prasong Soonsiri helped persuade him to accept the post, a council source said.

The news was confirmed last night by a person close to Supachai, who is secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and former director-general of the World Trade Organisation.

He was reportedly due to return to Bangkok last night to hold talks with CDRM leaders.

"The Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy has picked Supachai for his capability to salvage the country's sagging economy and remedy its image, tarnished by the coup," the source said.

"There is nothing for Supachai to lose working as caretaker prime minister for one year," the source said. "This can even be another top honour for him after his record as WTO chief."

Supachai has three years remaining in his term as UNCTAD secretary-general.

Another source said that Prem approached Supachai himself, seeing him as the most suitable choice to be interim premier. The two had good relations since Supachai served as president of the Thai Military Bank, the source noted.

"Supachai was well accepted and respected among the armed forces, partly thanks to his service at the military bank," the source said.

Meanwhile, the junta secretary said yesterday the ruling military council would become the protector of the interim government once the new prime minister is announced next week.

The CDRM will be renamed the Council of National Security (CNS), General Winai Phattiyakul said.

"We will not be the prime minister's boss and the prime minister will not be our boss, either," Winai said.

General Winai briefed the Bangkok-based diplomats yesterday on the timeline towards democracy, together with Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn.

The CNS, expected to be officially announced at the end of this week, would assist the new government in overseeing the country, to sustain economic and social stability in order to accomplish the junta's mission, Winai said.

The CNS would not be directly related to the current National Security Council, which oversees routine security matters. Winai is its secretary general.

The military leaders have finished drafting an interim charter, which will come into force by the end of this week as the legal platform for running the Kingdom during the transition period. The entire process of democratisation following last week's coup d'etat would take a total of eight months and 15 days, Winai said.

The interim prime minister, whom the junta judges capable of maintaining economic development and international recognition, as well as helping to process the drafting of a new constitution for political reform, would be named by early next week, he said.

Winai said he had no idea who was on the short-list to become the next prime minister but said the person would be honest, courageous and well respected.

After the interim charter comes into force next week, the junta will select about 250 people to be members of the legislature, he said.

Later, the junta will open a people's assembly with 2,000 representatives from various sectors, professions and regions who will be asked to elect 200 constitution drafters from their number. The drafters will have six months to write the text and two-and-a-half months more for screening, reading by the CNS, and a public referendum to endorse the new constitution.

A total of 87 diplomats attended yesterday's briefing. They represented 65 countries and 14 international organisations. Their questions mainly concerned the well-being of detained former ministers from the Thaksin administration and details of the timeline.

Krit said the junta begged the diplomats for a better understanding of its need to seize power.

"For those who see [only the] dark side of the coup, we beg them to have an open mind to see the situation and to revise their opinion, if many things improve," Krit said the diplomats were told.

Meanwhile, a source said the next task for the military chiefs would be to look for evidence linking Thaksin to alleged tainting of the monarchy.

Junta leader, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, called on Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda yesterday, and they discussed candidates to be interim premier, and the annual military transfers.

Sonthi said in a telephone interview afterwards that Prem advised the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) to select the interim PM carefully and to ensure fairness in the military transfers.

"He said the next prime minister should be a good and honest person who will truly serve the country. And the transfers of military officials and civil servants must be fair," Sonthi said. "I told him that we [the CDRM] will ensure peace for the country and fairness to all."

Sonthi's heavily-guarded motorcade arrived at Prem's Si Sao Thewet residence at about 3pm.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee,

Thanong Khanthong

The Nation 26 Sptember 2006

[isaanbrit]

Notice how things have changed - after the coup the promise was to leave everything to a civilian leadership, and now, subtly slipped into this press release is the mention of a new "Governing body" who will

not be the prime minister's boss and the prime minister will not be our boss, either

to oversee things.

It will be interesting to see just how much power this new

protector of the interim government

will have :-)

[Old Man River]

Notice how things have changed - after the coup the promise was to leave everything to a civilian leadership, and now, subtly slipped into this press release is the mention of a new "Governing body" who will

not be the prime minister's boss and the prime minister will not be our boss, either

to oversee things.

It will be interesting to see just how much power this new

protector of the interim government

will have :-)

It has always been crystal clear that the military would be running the country for at least a year. Until the next national election (Oct. 2007), the civilian government will be, more or less, employees of the military laying the groundwork for a stronger nation (hopefully). The question mark is, how strong a role will the military have, if any, following the next general election.

[astral]

Will he really be able to handle both jobs????????

Two salaries will be good as well.

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

Supachai 'to discuss terms' for PM's post

Former WTO chief has tentatively accepted invitation to lead an interim government

Supachai Panitchpakdi has tentatively accepted the ruling military council's invitation to become Thailand's interim prime minister, high-placed sources said yesterday.

Dr Supachai's agreement came after Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and former National Security Council secretary-general Prasong Soonsiri helped persuade him to accept the post, a council source said.

The news was confirmed last night by a person close to Supachai, who is secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and former director-general of the World Trade Organisation.

He was reportedly due to return to Bangkok last night to hold talks with CDRM leaders.

"The Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy has picked Supachai for his capability to salvage the country's sagging economy and remedy its image, tarnished by the coup," the source said.

"There is nothing for Supachai to lose working as caretaker prime minister for one year," the source said. "This can even be another top honour for him after his record as WTO chief."

Supachai has three years remaining in his term as UNCTAD secretary-general.

Another source said that Prem approached Supachai himself, seeing him as the most suitable choice to be interim premier. The two had good relations since Supachai served as president of the Thai Military Bank, the source noted.

"Supachai was well accepted and respected among the armed forces, partly thanks to his service at the military bank," the source said.

Meanwhile, the junta secretary said yesterday the ruling military council would become the protector of the interim government once the new prime minister is announced next week.

The CDRM will be renamed the Council of National Security (CNS), General Winai Phattiyakul said.

"We will not be the prime minister's boss and the prime minister will not be our boss, either," Winai said.

General Winai briefed the Bangkok-based diplomats yesterday on the timeline towards democracy, together with Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn.

The CNS, expected to be officially announced at the end of this week, would assist the new government in overseeing the country, to sustain economic and social stability in order to accomplish the junta's mission, Winai said.

The CNS would not be directly related to the current National Security Council, which oversees routine security matters. Winai is its secretary general.

The military leaders have finished drafting an interim charter, which will come into force by the end of this week as the legal platform for running the Kingdom during the transition period. The entire process of democratisation following last week's coup d'etat would take a total of eight months and 15 days, Winai said.

The interim prime minister, whom the junta judges capable of maintaining economic development and international recognition, as well as helping to process the drafting of a new constitution for political reform, would be named by early next week, he said.

Winai said he had no idea who was on the short-list to become the next prime minister but said the person would be honest, courageous and well respected.

After the interim charter comes into force next week, the junta will select about 250 people to be members of the legislature, he said.

Later, the junta will open a people's assembly with 2,000 representatives from various sectors, professions and regions who will be asked to elect 200 constitution drafters from their number. The drafters will have six months to write the text and two-and-a-half months more for screening, reading by the CNS, and a public referendum to endorse the new constitution.

A total of 87 diplomats attended yesterday's briefing. They represented 65 countries and 14 international organisations. Their questions mainly concerned the well-being of detained former ministers from the Thaksin administration and details of the timeline.

Krit said the junta begged the diplomats for a better understanding of its need to seize power.

"For those who see [only the] dark side of the coup, we beg them to have an open mind to see the situation and to revise their opinion, if many things improve," Krit said the diplomats were told.

Meanwhile, a source said the next task for the military chiefs would be to look for evidence linking Thaksin to alleged tainting of the monarchy.

Junta leader, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, called on Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda yesterday, and they discussed candidates to be interim premier, and the annual military transfers.

Sonthi said in a telephone interview afterwards that Prem advised the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) to select the interim PM carefully and to ensure fairness in the military transfers.

"He said the next prime minister should be a good and honest person who will truly serve the country. And the transfers of military officials and civil servants must be fair," Sonthi said. "I told him that we [the CDRM] will ensure peace for the country and fairness to all."

Sonthi's heavily-guarded motorcade arrived at Prem's Si Sao Thewet residence at about 3pm.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee,

Thanong Khanthong

The Nation 26 Sptember 2006

I guess he'd give up the UN job, because if he tries to do both it looks like the first one perhaps wasn't a full time job in the first place !

[Plus]

Will he really be able to handle both jobs????????

Two salaries will be good as well.

Two jobs???

It looks like permanent Five want him to be the next UN Secretary General. Now that's a choice.

[womble]

I do believe that should he run for Secretary General he stands a very good chance of getting the position. Surrakiart doesn't have a hope in hel_l.

Supachai would be a great choice for PM, he would be well accepted by the international community.

[Plus]

I was talking about this:

SECRETARY-GENERAL POST

UN Big Five see Supachai as apt

Unctad head a front-runner who is also now touted as possible PM

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/26/nat...al_30014633.php

Pity Thaksin didin't live to see the day when the UN picked up a DEMOCRAT who didn't spend even a dime on campaigning over his poster boy Surakiart. And many believe the whole affair started in revenge for Supachai getting WTO post in the fist place.

[Harry2]

Pity Thaksin didin't live to see the day when the UN picked up a DEMOCRAT who didn't spend even a dime on campaigning over his poster boy Surakiart. And many believe the whole affair started in revenge for Supachai getting WTO post in the fist place.

As far as the K. Surakiat UN bid was concerned, it was far more likely to have been a spoiler to block K. Anand's potential bid for the UN job. The prospect of K. Anand as Secretary General would have put K. Thaksin in his shadow internationally, & was therefore highly unwelcome. The current Secretary General seems to have done quite a bit to maintain the international visibility of both K. Anand & Dr. Supachai.

[Hermano Lobo]

Political change not a coup : Lt Gen Winai

One of the generals behind the coup described their seizure of power last week as a "political change rather than a coup."

Secretary of the military council, Lt Gen Winai Phattiyakul, told BBC radio in an interview that the military had tried to do the best for the country.

"We just tried to do the best for our country. Sometimes it is not easy for people from outside of the country to understand the real thinking or the behaviour," he told BBC radio.

"That is why the outcome of this political change is gaining so much support from the people, not only in Bangkok, countrywide."

The military ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on September 19 while he was in New York to attend UN General Assembly. After the coup, he flew to London, where he has an apartment.

Winai told the BBC that the timing was prompted by fears that elections scheduled for October 19 may not go ahead.

"We did not know when will be the election date. There's a rumour it may be extended to the end of November. That means we have this government for a year without national assembly at all," he said.

Defending the military council's order that restricted travelling and gathering of people, Winai said that Mr Thaksin has been in power for five years and he has so much influence down to grassroots levels.

"We do not want to take any chance. The civil liberties and the restriction of some reported media, it will be just for a very, very short period of time."

The Nation

[gharknes]

Political change not a coup : Lt Gen Winai

One of the generals behind the coup described their seizure of power last week as a "political change rather than a coup."

Secretary of the military council, Lt Gen Winai Phattiyakul, told BBC radio in an interview that the military had tried to do the best for the country.

"We just tried to do the best for our country. Sometimes it is not easy for people from outside of the country to understand the real thinking or the behaviour," he told BBC radio.

"That is why the outcome of this political change is gaining so much support from the people, not only in Bangkok, countrywide."

The military ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on September 19 while he was in New York to attend UN General Assembly. After the coup, he flew to London, where he has an apartment.

Winai told the BBC that the timing was prompted by fears that elections scheduled for October 19 may not go ahead.

"We did not know when will be the election date. There's a rumour it may be extended to the end of November. That means we have this government for a year without national assembly at all," he said.

Defending the military council's order that restricted travelling and gathering of people, Winai said that Mr Thaksin has been in power for five years and he has so much influence down to grassroots levels.

"We do not want to take any chance. The civil liberties and the restriction of some reported media, it will be just for a very, very short period of time."

The Nation

Sonthi's been pretty smart up to now, i like the idea of him being around for a while, remember money talks and sacksin has a small fortune for aanyone that wants to play

sonthi is ok by me

[number6]

I dont know enough about politica and system here to say what is good or bad

But from the little I know and being married to a Thai I am prpeared to give them the

support and benefit of doubt - Taksim might have done some good things in early

years but it was obvious to anyone that it had turned into a complete mess totally at his

doing - alternatives to current situation were INHO just not viable here.

Its no good saying should have had new elections should never hav3e done it like this - their simply IMHO seemed to me to be no other way to solve mess unless Taxim went vountarily which it was clear he had no intention of doing at all.

I am very encouraged by how so far the generals have kept piece and country is running absolutely as normal. It is also IMHO obvious that the thais people as a whole and by reports his majesty are not discontent with the current situation.

To those who moan groan and critasize I say give it a chance for goodness sake and stop all your doom mungering - as Ialways say most of us have a choice to be here or not - myself I nor my Thai wife want to be anywhere else. Sure its not perfect here so is UK USA or anywhere so much better

I dont think so