Srisuwan called in for 'talk', refuses to drop complaints

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Srisuwan called in for 'talk', refuses to drop complaints

SRISUWAN Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, said yesterday the military asked him to withdraw his ethics complaint against Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy Wissanu Krea-ngam.

He said he declined the request because his action was legitimate.

Srisuwan lodged the complaint with the Ombudsman on Tuesday, calling for a probe into the premier and his deputy's ethics for appointing Wissanu's family members to positions and what he called a large number of military officers on the National Reform Steering Assembly.

On Thursday Srisuwan was summoned by the Peace and Order Maintaining Force of the 1st Army Area for an hour-long talk.

He said more than 10 unidentified officers explained to him that Prayut and the National Council for Peace and Order only wanted to drive reform efforts.

He said they told him that his complaint could be interpreted as going against that intention and cause a division in society.

He said his complaint was done legitimately, as his actions always followed the law.

Srisuwan said society may not accept too many of high-ranking military officers' relatives or other military officers being appointed to important positions.

"It was just a general talk, not attitude adjustment," Srisuwan said he was told at the military meeting.

He said he was also asked not to talk about the meeting in a negative way to the media.

Srisuwan was allowed to go home on Thursday night without signing any documents.

But he said he was contacted by Peace and Order Maintaining Force yesterday morning and asked to withdraw the complaint.

Withdrawing the complaint would also tarnish his image, he said.

"I'm not worried about what happened at all," he said. "I'm even thankful for it, that now I have become more well known."

The Nation contacted the Peace and Order Maintaining Force but it said it could not talk to the media.

NCPO spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvari said he had not heard of the matter.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Srisuwan-called-in-for-talk-refuses-to-drop-compla-30271074.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-17

[NongKhaiKid]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

[noitom]

"Called in for a talk." Thai style suppression of freedom and speech.

[NongKhaiKid]

"Called in for a talk." Thai style suppression of freedom and speech.

Called in for a talk, would that be as in ' we talk and you listen ' ?

[ChrisY1]

Hope he manages to be able to retain his complaint.......nepotism is not seen as nepotism in Thailand.....but business as usual.....the excuse being that Khun X is better than anyone else

[Christie Paul]

The degree to which the legitimacy of leadership will be tested, will be linear to the degree the economy turns down.

If the economy is growing and people are prospering, most people would't care if the place is being run by toothless lady boys.

But when the economy turns down - the legitimacy of a God won't be enough to keep the peace.

[robblok]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

Nepotism is bad no matter what side does it, it holds the country back.

A nice break from it was when Prayut hired that finance minister from the PTP.

This is an example of how it should not be.

[z42]

Wonder what the "peace and order maintaining force" ACTUALLY do to justify their existence, and sure would be interesting to see what their operating budget looks like

[ratcatcher]

Maybe the government promotes family values as often as they promote family members?

[NongKhaiKid]

Maybe the government promotes family values as often as they promote family members?

[LannaGuy]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

Nepotism is bad no matter what side does it, it holds the country back.

A nice break from it was when Prayut hired that finance minister from the PTP.

This is an example of how it should not be.

a good post now go one step further they should be elected by the people for the people not by someone with the biggest gun

good for this champion of freedom and hope he stays strong

[Bluespunk]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

Unfortunately as Bob almost once sang "they are not a changing"...

[LannaGuy]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

Unfortunately as Bob almost once sang "they are not a changing"...

"they are a same same ing"

(apologies Bob)

[mike324]

hey at least the talks are transparent right? with a nice photo shoot. Unlike talks with police which often results in people going missing... Good for Srisuwan to stand up to the General and not stepping down.

[scorecard]

Maybe the government promotes family values as often as they promote family members?

You mean the previous government?

[gandalf12]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

They need a Maggie here in Thailand

[smutcakes]

Maybe the government promotes family values as often as they promote family members?

You mean the previous government?

Off the top of my head instances of nepotism of this Govt:

Prawit appointing his brother onto one of the reform councils

Wissanu having both his brothers into the NRSC.

Prayut appointing his brother.

So now lets hear about the previous Government?

[waldroj]

The PM and the NCPO may honestly believe that they are fighting the good fight on behalf of all Thais. Unfortunately, in their “battle plan”, things like ethics, and citizens’ right to challenge this plan of attack have become collateral damage.

Strong messages like “(they) only wanted to drive reform efforts” suggests a belief in controlling any issue using “army intelligence”. Evidence of this is found in Srisuwan’s observation that “society may not accept too many of high-ranking military officers’ relatives or other military officers being appointed to important positions”.

Apart from the obvious issues of nepotism, and relatives getting jobs, (as mentioned above and in other TV forums), another key reason why we should seriously worry about too many military officers in important positions is quite simply their suitability for those positions.

Their experience, training, and study are highly specialised to handle military matters, not run civil service activities and manage an economy. Dominating one’s opponent, and stamping out all resistance without compromise may be the key measure of success in war, however these guys have to realise that they cannot apply the same tactics to civilian administration without serious detrimental results.

Complaining to the Ombudsman in this instance seems most appropriate, if for no other reason than to help the ‘military’ leaders now running this country understand their civil responsibilities (and, if that fails, maybe also remind them of legal implications too).

[NongKhaiKid]

The PM and the NCPO may honestly believe that they are fighting the good fight on behalf of all Thais. Unfortunately, in their battle plan, things like ethics, and citizens right to challenge this plan of attack have become collateral damage.

Strong messages like (they) only wanted to drive reform efforts suggests a belief in controlling any issue using army intelligence. Evidence of this is found in Srisuwans observation that society may not accept too many of high-ranking military officers relatives or other military officers being appointed to important positions.

Apart from the obvious issues of nepotism, and relatives getting jobs, (as mentioned above and in other TV forums), another key reason why we should seriously worry about too many military officers in important positions is quite simply their suitability for those positions.

Their experience, training, and study are highly specialised to handle military matters, not run civil service activities and manage an economy. Dominating ones opponent, and stamping out all resistance without compromise may be the key measure of success in war, however these guys have to realise that they cannot apply the same tactics to civilian administration without serious detrimental results.

Complaining to the Ombudsman in this instance seems most appropriate, if for no other reason than to help the military leaders now running this country understand their civil responsibilities (and, if that fails, maybe also remind them of legal implications too).

I'm with you all the way but do have reservations about the last sentence as it seems the junta operate in their own reality where complaints are likely to do nothing except provoke a response such as AA.

If ' complaints ' etc take on a more serious dynamic then there's more than a chance of a very determined response and the country is off down that slippery slope again.

[jesimps]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

Nepotism is bad no matter what side does it, it holds the country back.

A nice break from it was when Prayut hired that finance minister from the PTP.

This is an example of how it should not be.

I agree with you that nepotism is bad on any side of the political spectrum and should be rooted out. The PTP were supposedly kicked out because of corruption and the junta came in on an anti-corruption ticket. The fact that there's so much nepotism happening under this junta just makes them out to be hypocrites. How on earth do they expect reconcilliation when even a blind man could see that the very opposite is happening.

[jesimps]

Maybe the government promotes family values as often as they promote family members?

You mean the previous government?

The previous government didn't kick their predecessors out by force, accusing them of corruption. Then announcing to a huge fanfare that they were going kick out all corruption and bring happiness and reconcilliation to the people.

[cockatoowho]

How can anyone possibly entertain the fact that these muffets in control of the country care one iota about anyone other than who they see in the mirror. The only way to remove this bunch of oppressing lunatics is people power, otherwise they are going to be in control for a very long, long time. Thailand is fast becoming China's permanent bumb boy and nothing will reverse the situation if something isn't done soon.

[Enoon]

Maybe the government promotes family values as often as they promote family members?

You mean the previous government?

No, the government that is the subject of the article:

The government of General Prayuth Chan-o-Cha,

Saviour Of The Nation,

Ridder of Ills,

He Who Shall Banish All Previous Political and Social Misbehaviour Into Outer Darkness.

(except this particular sort of misbehaviour...and a few others)

[taff33]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

They need a Maggie here in Thailand

God help Thailand if they ever did.

[Bluespunk]

Criticise what so many see as nepotism, cronyism and so on and it's causing division in society ?

As a lady in Britain decades ago used to sing " It's a Sign Of The Times. "

They need a Maggie here in Thailand

What?

Someone who divides the nation?

Someone who legislates for her faction of the elite?

Someone whose senior party members never seemed to be prosecuted for their wrong doings?

Someone whose children exploit her position to enrich themselves?

Someone who is prepared to launch a war, sacrifice others and exploit them to save her own political neck?

Someone who lies, cheats, steals and deceives to maintain and strengthen a narrow elite?

Hasn't Thailand got plenty of their own of those?

Personally I think we all need more like Elvis Costello.

Trample that dirt down boys, trample it down.