Duel in foreign media

The Nation/Asia News Network, February 4, 2007


BANGKOK - THE war of words between Thailand's ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the generals who overthrew him in a coup has gone international.

In his first interview with a Western newspaper since leading the coup last September, army chief Sonthi Boonyarataglin told the Washington Post Mr Thaksin could return to Thailand - but at his own risk.

'It is very dangerous for a man to have hundreds of thousands of people dislike him, for which reason I cannot say whether or not it is safe for him,' General Sonthi, the Council for National Security's chairman, was quoted as saying.

He said democratic elections would be held before the end of the year.

He also sought to ease concerns that the military might have long-term designs on the reins of power, saying it would hand over control immediately to a civilian government after the inauguration of a new prime minister.

'The elections will happen this year. As for the role of the army after the elections, once we have a new elected government, the army will withdraw and return to its units as a professional military,' he said.

The report appeared in the Thursday edition of the American newspaper.

Last month, Gen Sonthi spoke to CNN and some Japanese media organisations.

Mr Thaksin himself has given several interviews to the international media, including CNN and the Asian Wall Street Journal last month. And more are in the offing, his personal legal adviser Noppadol Patama said yesterday.

He said the interviews were not aimed at discrediting the government, adding that the former premier was speaking positively about Thailand and had the right to speak.

Tomorrow, Time magazine will publish an interview with him, along with an article about his life in exile. In it, Mr Thaksin strongly criticised the government and the generals who toppled him.
'The junta wants to bring the country backward. That is not good. You should take the country forward,' he said.

He also described as 'protectionist' the government's policy of capital controls.

'No one can adopt protectionism any more. Thailand has to be ready for globalisation. You cannot turn your back on it,' he said.

As to why there was hardly any public outcry against the putsch, he said: 'First, the people are shocked. Then they start to voice their concerns. And then they start to accept it, especially after it's endorsed by His Majesty the King.'

When asked whether he would return to politics, he reiterated that he had washed his hands of it.

'I'm quite confident that if I ran (for election) today, I would win, (but) I have no political ambitions. I am calling it quits.'

He also defended himself against accusations of corruption, calling them 'baseless'.

He added that some juntas ended up being more corrupt than an elected administration.

'At any rate, corruption will not go away in Thailand. It's in the system,' he said.