Thai govt may place army officers in provincial posts

The Straits Times, March 3, 2007
By Nirmal Ghosh, THAILAND CORRESPONDENT


Thai govt may place army officers in provincial posts
Idea seen as move to tighten military control in country's 76 provinces

BANGKOK - THE military Council for National Security (CNS) is considering the appointment of senior military officers as deputy governors in charge of security in all of Thailand's 76 provinces.

The Bangkok Post, quoting sources, reported yesterday that CNS chief Sonthi Boonyarataglin - who is also the army chief - floated the idea during a meeting with some 40 local municipality and village heads on Thursday.

The deputy governors would be officers of the rank of colonel or major-general. The idea is seen as a move to extend and tighten the army's control over the country at the provincial level.

Since taking over, the army has been concerned at what it calls an 'undercurrent' of opposition at the grassroots level, largely from supporters of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Elements of this undercurrent have been blamed for sporadic incidents of arson in the north and north-east since the coup.

The northern and north-eastern areas are the stronghold of the Thai Rak Thai party, founded by Mr Thaksin, who was ousted in a coup last year.

General Sonthi reportedly mentioned these concerns at the meeting, citing them to justify giving more powers to local officials so that they could better support the Internal Security Operations Command, which coordinates information on intelligence and security.

The Post quoted its source as saying the CNS also wants to double the tenure of village heads from five years to 10 years.

Taken together, the moves would help entrench the military's presence in the country's administration.

They are seen as an attempt to counter local officials who, more often than not, owe their positions to powerful district and provincial politicians who cultivate their own support base in the local bureaucracy.

Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp told The Straits Times yesterday that the proposal was 'Gen Sonthi's opinion', and that the 'government would consider it'.

The Post reported that a deputy governor in charge of security issues was already in place in Songkhla and had taken charge of four districts pending formal appointment by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont.

Pro-democracy Thais are bound to view the Bangkok Post report as evidence that the military is consolidating its hold on the country.

At a forum at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand on Wednesday, Thai Rak Thai acting leader Chaturon Chaisang echoed the opinion of many analysts when he predicted that elections - expected towards the end of the year - would produce a fragile coalition that would rule 'with the military shadow looming in the background'.

Pro-democracy activist Supinya Klangnarong of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform told The Straits Times: 'In the beginning, it (the military) tried to appear very humble, but at the end of the day, the army is the army.'