Military says it will not intervene
By Ismail Wolff
The heads of the armed forces yesterday assured embattled caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that the military will not intervene in the political crisis gripping the country.
“The military will not get involved in politics…I don’t think there will be any moves by the military,” Army Commander-in-Chief Sonthi Boonyaratakalin said following a meeting with Thaksin and top military commanders at Government House yesterday.
Gen Sonthi said that, unless he orders soldiers out of their barracks to take action, they will not become involved in the political crisis. “I can assure you that, if the army commander tells them not to go out, they will not go out.”
Sonthi also said there will be no reshuffling of the Special Warfare Command to provide security in Bangkok as rumored. However, he said some elite commandos from the special warfare command have been assigned to provide security to the military’s top commanders during the present political turmoil.
The comments came following concerns by various parties, including a group of more than 30 senators, over rumors of irregular troop movements under the command of Thaksin’s military classmates.
“We are concerned about the movement of troops and the use of emergency decrees and, if the country comes to a dead end, we believe the prime minister’s resignation is the way to solve the problems,” Senator Sak Korsaengruang said yesterday.
The hastily organized meeting between Thaksin and army leaders was also attended by Armed Forces Supreme Commander Gen Ruengroj Mahasaranon, air force chief ACM Chalit Pukpasuk, navy chief Adm Sathiraphan Keyanont and national police chief Gen Kowit Wattana.
Gen Ruengroj played down fears of the military getting involved, saying the current political unrest is not serious enough to warrant intervention.
“The [caretaker] prime minister ordered the military to be prepared in their bases, but they must not move out from their barracks as the situation is not so serious that the military needs to get involved,” Gen Ruengroj said.
Thaksin emerged from the meeting with a more conciliatory tone than of late, saying he was prepared to consult with his political opponents to find a democratic solution to the political impasse. However, the offer was rejected by the opposition coalition yesterday, which said it had come too late.
Given Thailand’s history of military coups and the current tense political standoff, analysts yesterday said military intervention, although unlikely, cannot be ruled out.
Yesterday’s meeting came one day after the main opposition political parties announced a boycott of the April 2 elections called by the embattled caretaker prime minister. Their stand has raised political tensions to a new high following weeks of mass protests by a wide spectrum of the population calling for Thaksin’s resignation.
The Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy’s ultimatum to Thaksin to resign by March 5, when anti-government protestors will once again take to the streets, has increased fears of clashes, observers said yesterday.
By Ismail Wolff
The heads of the armed forces yesterday assured embattled caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that the military will not intervene in the political crisis gripping the country.
“The military will not get involved in politics…I don’t think there will be any moves by the military,” Army Commander-in-Chief Sonthi Boonyaratakalin said following a meeting with Thaksin and top military commanders at Government House yesterday.
Gen Sonthi said that, unless he orders soldiers out of their barracks to take action, they will not become involved in the political crisis. “I can assure you that, if the army commander tells them not to go out, they will not go out.”
Sonthi also said there will be no reshuffling of the Special Warfare Command to provide security in Bangkok as rumored. However, he said some elite commandos from the special warfare command have been assigned to provide security to the military’s top commanders during the present political turmoil.
The comments came following concerns by various parties, including a group of more than 30 senators, over rumors of irregular troop movements under the command of Thaksin’s military classmates.
“We are concerned about the movement of troops and the use of emergency decrees and, if the country comes to a dead end, we believe the prime minister’s resignation is the way to solve the problems,” Senator Sak Korsaengruang said yesterday.
The hastily organized meeting between Thaksin and army leaders was also attended by Armed Forces Supreme Commander Gen Ruengroj Mahasaranon, air force chief ACM Chalit Pukpasuk, navy chief Adm Sathiraphan Keyanont and national police chief Gen Kowit Wattana.
Gen Ruengroj played down fears of the military getting involved, saying the current political unrest is not serious enough to warrant intervention.
“The [caretaker] prime minister ordered the military to be prepared in their bases, but they must not move out from their barracks as the situation is not so serious that the military needs to get involved,” Gen Ruengroj said.
Thaksin emerged from the meeting with a more conciliatory tone than of late, saying he was prepared to consult with his political opponents to find a democratic solution to the political impasse. However, the offer was rejected by the opposition coalition yesterday, which said it had come too late.
Given Thailand’s history of military coups and the current tense political standoff, analysts yesterday said military intervention, although unlikely, cannot be ruled out.
Yesterday’s meeting came one day after the main opposition political parties announced a boycott of the April 2 elections called by the embattled caretaker prime minister. Their stand has raised political tensions to a new high following weeks of mass protests by a wide spectrum of the population calling for Thaksin’s resignation.
The Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy’s ultimatum to Thaksin to resign by March 5, when anti-government protestors will once again take to the streets, has increased fears of clashes, observers said yesterday.
