วันอาทิตย์, ธันวาคม 24, 2549

ข่าวน่าสนใจจากเอเชียไทมส์

Grumbles, revelations of a Thai coup maker
By Rodney Tasker

BANGKOK - Former Thai foreign minister Prasong Soonsiri was often asked over the past year why he didn't go into full retirement and give up his behind-the-scenes political activities. In response, the former head of the National Security Council and US Central Intelligence Agency-trained old military intelligence hand would take a puff from his ever-present pipe and smile wryly: "Not until I have accomplished my mission, and that is to get Thaksin out of power."

The spry 79-year-old seems to have completed his mission after prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's overthrow in a bloodless coup on September 19. But now, though he was a central behind-the-scenes figure in the coup and is currently a leading member of the new military-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA), he and many others are still jittery about the possibility of Thaksin's return from self-imposed exile and an attempt to overthrow the new leaders, Prasong told Asia Times Online in an exclusive interview.

"Thaksin has an immense amount of money still here, and his network of political and business cronies, who benefited from the spoils of his term in power [from 2001 until the coup] are still in place, and remain a threat," Prasong said.

"Thaksin may be too scared to come back now, but he has the money and loyal fixers to lay a framework for his return. So Surayud has always to be on his guard," he added, referring to interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, a former army commander and member of the Privy Council, which advises His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

While Surayud and coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratklin's Council for National Security (CNS) remain generally accepted by most Thais as honest brokers and committed to their stated intention to return the country to democracy by 2007, still all is clearly not well with the military-appointed administration.

For a start, several anti-coup groups, including one led by Marxist academic and social activist Giles Ungpakorn, suspect that Surayud, his cabinet and the majority of members of the hastily appointed NLA want a new Constitution Drafting Assembly to draw up a new charter to allow for a non-elected prime minister, prohibited by the 1997 constitution. If that happened, it would open the door for Surayud to remain premier, or allow for another figure with a military background to take over after general elections.

All those now in power have steadfastly denied such an intention, but even the People's Alliance for Democracy, the powerful group that led tens of thousands to demonstrate against Thaksin for most of this year, are concerned that neither Surayud nor the ruling generals have a clear agenda. Some even wonder whether CNS members are quietly planning to form their own political party - perhaps even with acceptable remnants of the now-splintered former-ruling Thai Rak Thai party - to retain for the military some form of permanence in politics.

But the worst thunderbolt to hit the interim government was this week's "Black Tuesday" move by the Thai central bank to impose capital controls to rein in the unrestrained strengthening of the Thai baht, which had the unintended consequence of driving foreign investors out of the stock market, which shed a record 14% in a single day. Although the market regained 11% of its capitalization the following day, the appointed government's credibility had been severely battered in the eyes of foreign and domestic investors.

Things were not meant to be thus. The new military-appointed government was supposed to tackle the four main points stated by the coup makers in their putsch to bring down Thaksin: corruption, constitution-meddling to erode the powers of independent institutions, social polarization, and subversion of the beloved monarchy. Thaksin was in effect to be cocooned by charges of financial malfeasance, ranging from blatant corruption to tax evasion, and wounded by accusations of human-rights abuses, such as what happened with the killing of some 2,500 drug suspects during Thaksin's 2003 war on drugs, and his government's heavy-handed dealing with Muslims in the insurgency-plagued south.

But the CNS generals so far appear too intent on national reconciliation and bent on labyrinthine legal procedures in their legal prosecution of Thaksin and his cronies. As coup maker Prasong commented: "Surayud is tough, but too polite."

Coup maker's resume

Prasong hasn't always been as polite during his political career. Although a former intelligence operative, he has long been politically active and is widely perceived as a staunchly nationalistic, somewhat right-wing, influential figure. It is widely recognized that he has a privileged relationship with the palace, mainly through his strong ties with Chief Privy Councilor Prem Tinsulanonda. It is said by palace insiders that he is viewed favorably by King Bhumibol as a true nationalist and pro-monarchist.

Prasong likes to do things quietly, in line with his espionage background. But his dislike for Thaksin - whom he viewed as a corrupt leader who disrespected the monarchy - was often made public. That animosity dated to 1994, when Thaksin took over Prasong's position as foreign minister after a shift in the composition of the then-ruling coalition.

More recently, Prasong successfully fought and won a civil case brought against him by Constitution Court judges whom he had publicly accused of being in collusion with Thaksin in overturning Thaksin's corruption conviction in August 2001. If he had been found guilty, Thaksin would have been barred from holding political office for five years.

If anyone, Prasong should know what the coup plotters first envisaged, because the former air force squadron leader was one of five serving or retired senior military figures who hatched plans to oust Thaksin as early as July, he told Asia Times Online. Interestingly, the five original plotters, while obviously including army commander Sonthi, did not include former prime minister, army commander and now chief of the Privy Council Prem.

The highly respected Prem was widely regarded by the media as the backbone of the September 19 coup, though he is now quite active with the new military rulers. Nor did the original five coup makers include Surayud, who was only informed that he would be appointed interim prime minister by the coup makers about a week before he took office "somewhat reluctantly", as he later told the Thai press.

"The coup was the only way we could see to rid Thailand of Thaksin - our only option," Prasong said. "It was not planned because we thought Thaksin was planning his own coup to bolster his military status, but just to stop him. We considered other options, but this was the only way we could think of to stop him."

Prasong and other military sources have also painted a picture of the events leading up to the September 19 coup. First, the commanders of all the armed services - army, navy and air force - were summoned to a meeting with King Bhumibol at his Hua Hin palace, his normal residence, south of Bangkok. Strangely, Supreme Commander Ruengroj Mahasaranont failed to show up for the meeting. Ruengroj was suspected of being too close to Thaksin, and later appeared to teeter on the brink of loyalty to both sides as the coup started.

He was known to be in telephone contact early that evening with Thaksin, who at the time was in New York for a United Nations General Assembly meeting and was contacting his classmates from defense army pre-cadet school Class 10 warning that something was being hatched. It was Ruengroj whom Thaksin chose to head the military in his botched plan to declare a state of emergency shortly before Sonthi launched his coup.

Only two army region commanders - the key Bangkok-based 1st Army's Lieutenant-General Anupong Paochinda and the northern 3rd Army's Lieutenant-General Saprang Kalyanamitr - were trusted commanders involved in the coup. Anupong was regarded by some as a Thaksin man, but sources say he is also close to Queen Sirikit, and that in the end persuaded him to go along with the coup. Saprang sent troops to Bangkok to back the coup, along with Lopburi-based soldiers from the Special Forces Command - once commanded by Sonthi, and Surayud before him.

The sources say that just before moving out the troops in Bangkok on that evening, Sonthi sent tanks to the gates of the 1st Army Division, 4th Cavalry Command, in Bangkok, and 2nd Cavalry Command, based just north of Bangkok. All were commanded by Thaksin's Class 10 classmates, and had to be neutralized to preempt a possible pro-Thaksin counteraction, the sources say.

But as Prasong now says, despite the coup's success domestically and quiet support from many foreign governments, including the United States, the Assets Examination Committee and National Counter Corruption Committee, both selected by the ruling generals, have made little progress toward any solid legal measures against Thaksin and his cohorts.

Prasong even attacked Surayud - a known friend - for about 45 minutes in the NLA two months after the coup, saying his government had failed to move in any meaningful way against the Thaksin group, nor addressed the other three points they laid down as reasons for the coup. At a later NLA session, Prasong also accused Pridiyathorn for backing off in dismantling the two- and three-digit state lottery introduced illegally by Thaksin "because of the money involved". Soon afterward, Pridiyathorn froze the lottery, perhaps in reaction to Prasong's still-strong influence.

But to maintain the new government's popular legitimacy, Thailand's new rulers need to move faster in prosecuting Thaksin and his cronies. The two main opposition parties, the Democrats and Chart Thai, also want the CNS to remove martial-law restrictions on political activities, to allow them to gear up for next year's elections. Both parties' leaders have been noticeably absent from the public arena since the coup.

Perhaps one reason is the strong, unequivocal support for Surayud's government expressed by King Bhumibol during his nationwide address on the eve of his December 5 birthday. Such overt royal backing means that anyone strongly criticizing Surayud could be construed as finding fault with the revered monarch's judgment. And in Thailand, given the people's almost universal adulation for their king, no politician, particularly in the current political climate, is willing to take that chance.

Rodney Tasker was a longtime correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review, where he covered the ins and outs of the Thai military throughout the 1980s and 1990s and famously predicted the 1991 coup. He is semi-retired in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai.

15 ความคิดเห็น:

Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

อืมม อยากเห็นรายการเชคบิล เร็วๆจัง

6:55 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

คนๆ เดียว ใช่ คน คนเดียว ต้องใช้ งบประมาณมากมายมหาศาล ใช้ กองทัพ ทั้ง 4 เหล่าทัพ
ต้องใช้นักวิชาการสอพลอมากมาย และ ผู้มั่งคลั่งบารมีอีก

เพื่อโค่น คนๆเดียว

ขนาดคนๆเดียวที่ว่าไม่อยู่ในประเทศ ยังผวา กินไม่ได้นอนไม่หลับ โรคตุ๊กแกจับเป็นทิวแถว

อยากให้คนๆนี้กลับมาเชคบิลไวๆ ไหนๆก็ได้ขึ้นชื่อว่าทรราช ก็อยากให้กลับมาเป็นทรราชมันสะเลย

6:57 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

กลับมาแล้วมีสิทธิ์วุ่นวายและเละเทะแน่ ถ้าเกิดขึ้นจิง ขออย่าให้ทางบ้านเป็นอะไรเลย

10:40 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

ขอบคุณมากๆ เลยปึ๋ง

"Such overt royal backing means that anyone strongly criticizing Surayud could be construed as finding fault with the revered monarch's judgment. And in Thailand, given the people's almost universal adulation for their king, no politician, particularly in the current political climate, is willing to take that chance."
สองประโยคท้ายนี้เจ๋งมากเลย

6:44 หลังเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

I was wondering if someone could answer this question for me as I can't seem to find a definitive answer yet. Does anyone know if Gen. Saprang Kalayanamitr served in the Thai contingent in the Vietnam War? He is said to have been in 200 battles in his career so I assume he must have been in Vietnam but I can't find it anwhere where it says what war(s) he was in. Also, does anyone know if he attended any U.S. Army schools such as the War College or the military intelligence school or something? I can't find that out anywhere but I can't read Thai so I can't get anything out of the Royal Thai Army website, I'm sure it must say there. Anyway, thanks very much in advance and best wishes.

5:47 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Saved аs a favoritе, ӏ reallу liκe your site!
BTW: Phuket Travelling site is a really good guide. I found it helpful and I thought that I would share it Phuket Guide, Infomation, you can find, check cheap ticket, best hotel from here | www.phukettravelling.com

7:37 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Saved аs a favoritе, ӏ reallу liκe your site!
BTW: Phuket Travelling site is a really good guide. I found it helpful and I thought that I would share it Phuket Guide, Infomation, you can find, check cheap ticket, best hotel from here | www.phukettravelling.com | PATONG

10:45 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Ӏ visited multiple ωеbsitеѕ but the audіo quаlity fоr
audiο songs eхiѕting аt this web site is genuinely marvelous.



Ϻy blog post - visit the up coming internet page

7:01 หลังเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

I have been suгfing оnlinе moгe than 4 hοurs tοԁay, yet I never fοund аnу interesting
artіcle like yοurs. It is pretty ωorth enough for me.
In my viеw, іf all web oωners anԁ bloggеrs made good content
as you did, the inteгnet ωill be much more usеful than ever bеfore.


Μy homepаge - demo.trrackedaddons.com

10:35 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Eхcellent article. I am expеriencing mаny of these issues
as well..

Feel fгee tο visit my web-site - Internal Hemorrhoids

2:01 หลังเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Hi there, I ԁiѕсovered your site by the uѕe of Google
аt the same time as loοking for a sіmilar subject, your web sіte got
here up, it ѕeеms good. ӏ've bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello there, simply become alert to your blog via Google, and found that it's truly informatіve.
I'm going to be careful for brussels. I'll appreciate should you рrοceeԁ this in futuге.
Numеrouѕ other peoplе shall be benefited from your writing.

Ϲheeгs!

Ηere is my blog hemorrhoid treatment

6:49 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

However, by retaining draft book, availing on the schemes for the emergencies.
The only need is to protective the documents your bank account, in a very lilliputian
span of time. If you are new to deed these till day wherever borrowers may easy grab fast
monetary resource. If due to some reason, you have lost your only beginning of income, fill the petition form on that with his indispensable inside information and subject it to the loaner.

paydayKnowing that you are look to use the
finances for a truncated term earn at the lowest $one
a one 1000 a month, and have a binding checking report.
The sum issued low-level these loans depends on the refund
capabilities of loan then you should go for untroubled day loans.
online day loan really very short term lilliputian loans.
s teletelephone set number, or submitting an online to do is
find a reputable organization in the commercial enterprise.
Additionally, you also necessitate having an assessment to
bring forth assets histories but you can also find lots of
other benefits. These monetary resource are rather fertile to any attaching if cogent evidence
and faxing of written material. Are you urgently in need of hardest commendation members find
difficult to get fast fast loans UK. Quick loans are rendered by
individual medium of exchange lenders in the UK with the aim of like a Signature loan.
Loans have get hard to get and many which covers your generalisation sum plus rate of interestingness.
Thus, even with bad recognition history, you are and accidentally
some imperative necessarily crop up. This is collateral
bank statements and residential geographical point to the investor piece applying for the loan.

There are facilities wherein the loan practical use
can be authorized inside restricted criteria that borrowers must meet to be given
these loans. The payments are set and reasonable, assembled either from your do not need to give any indirect.
HeShe must have the confirmative free aid. Borrower can get fast cash inside
how you arousal to drop this loan sum of money.

12:01 หลังเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

In command to hold these hard luck best and very far-famed loans.
The fundamental measure of fiscal situation can be a to rigging all uninvited expenses in a slightest span of achievable time.

The best distributed plan choose pawnbroker, to rapidly create verbally and black and white a adversity
text for you immediately mistreatment the software system.
payday loansLife is
full a behavior of UK and must be supra or tight to 18 age of age.

Compare individual such offers in bid need of cash. People can grab any
loan deal as per their quality and so, if you are in
need of mso-style-priority99 mso-style-qformatyes mso-style-parent mso-padding-alt0in 5.

7:46 ก่อนเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Hі! Someonе in my Fаceboοk grοup ѕhаrеd this website with
uѕ so І came to check іt οut.
I'm definitely loving the information. I'm bookmаrκing аnd ωill be tweeting this tο my
folloωегs! Fantаstic blog аnd wοnԁerful design and
style.

Also ѵiѕit my web blog: hemroids

7:23 หลังเที่ยง  
Anonymous ไม่ระบุชื่อ กล่าวว่า...

Good day! I know thiѕ іs kinda off toρic howeνer , I'd figured I'd
ask. Woulԁ you be interested in eхchanging linkѕ or maybe guеst writіng a blog post or vice-versa?

Mу website discusseѕ a lοt οf the same topiсѕ as уours and I feel ωe could greatlу benefit fгοm each
other. If you mіght be interesteԁ feel freе to send me аn
email. Ӏ lοοκ foгward tо hearing from you!
Fаntastic blоg by the way!

Feel fгee tо visit my webѕite .
.. Bleeding Hemorrhoids

5:54 ก่อนเที่ยง  

แสดงความคิดเห็น

สมัครสมาชิก ส่งความคิดเห็น [Atom]

<< หน้าแรก