NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/soc/culture/thai/4359

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From: [e-mail] (Samart Srijumnong)
Subject: Kaset's interview on May event (fwd: Bkk Post Jan 28)
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Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 07:42:58 GMT
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From: Kamol Hengkietisak <[e-mail]>
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Subject: Bangkok Post Jan 28: Kaset's view on May event
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WHAT were the real causes of the February 23, 1991 coup? Which
military generals should be held responsible for the May
bloodshed? How the relations between former army chief Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh and members of the Class 5 of the Chulachomklao Royal
Military Academy soured? What will be the political future of
former Palang Dharma leader Chamlong Srimuang?

These questions, and a lot others, were answered in detail by
Armed Forces Inspector General Kaset Rojananil during his
exclusive interview with Mr Khamnoon Sitthisamarn, senior editor
of the Thai-language Manager Daily, and columnist Mr Preecha
Kulpreecha.

The interview was published in the Manager Daily yesterday.

ACM Kaset, who was recently again in the limelight after implying
that he may enter politics after his mandatory retirement this
year, revealed almost all about the behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings
that culminated in the coup and the May bloodbath the following
year.

He said the two events were linked.

"I want to say that it's the fate of the nation (that the two
events had to happen)," he said.

According to ACM Kaset's account, Gen Chatichai Choonhavan's
"unhappiness" with Gen Sunthorn Kongsompong, then the supreme
commander, was likely the root cause of the coup.

"Phi Chat wasn't quite happy with Phi Jod (Gen Sunthorn) because
Phi Jod was very straightforward. He did not yield to any
requests. If he had clash he would," ACM Kaset said.

The former prime minister's unhappiness with Gen Sunthorn
intensified after the latter gave an interview exposing an alleged
assassination plot against a figure in high place, according to
ACM Kaset.

He recalled that Gen Chatichai had asked him on February 18, 1991
to consult with Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon, at that time the army
commander-in-chief, about his plan to dismiss Gen Sunthorn and put
Gen Suchinda in his place.

ACM Kaset said he and Gen Suchinda later told Gen Chatichai they
could not accept Gen Sunthorn's dismissal but at the same time
asked Gen Sunthorn to soften his "voice" when giving interviews.

However, as it turned out Gen Chatichai appointed Gen Arthit
Kamlang-ek, then the deputy prime minister, concurrently to the
post of deputy defence minister.

"It was this that drifted them apart.

"Phi Arthit and Phi Jod were at odds. It was apparent. Phi Arthit
didn't like Phi Jod. When paying his respect Phi Jod was not
reciprocated. He rebuked Phi Jod as a playboy-soldier," he said.

ACM Kaset said Gen Sunthorn called him back from South Korea on
February 21. When he arrived home, he found a number of Air Force
officers there.

"I knew that they had decided to stage a coup since I was on the
plane and kept figuring out things I had to do."

He said he insisted that the coup must be done in the "Air Force's
way" which meant no use of army tanks to prevent panic among the
public.

ACM Kaset admitted that had Gen Arthit not been appointed deputy
defence minister Gen Sunthorn would not have staged a coup.

He said it was because of his concern that the public may view the
military as a dictator that he proposed the formation of a
civilian government with the support of the National Peacekeeping
Council (NPKC).

But Mr Anand Panyarachun was not his first choice to head the
NPKC-appointed government. ACM Kaset said he first asked Gen
Sunthorn and Gen Suchinda to become prime minister but both
refused and he himself could not accept the post because he was
not from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.

He said he favoured Mr Ukrit Mongkolnavin and Mr Arsa Sarasin but
Gen Suchinda preference was for Mr Anand.

ACM Kaset admitted that the relationship between the Anand
Government and the NPKC was loose partly because NPKC Secretary
General Issarapong Noonpakdee was so involved with his work at the
Interior Ministry that he could not time for the NPKC.

He said he had asked Gen Sunthorn to dismiss Mr Anand after the
government happened to bypass the NPKC in proposing draft
legislations to the National Assembly a few months after it was
installed but Gen Sunthorn said the government should be given
more time to sort things out.

He said he told Gen Sunthorn it was too late when the NPKC
chairman sought to fire Mr Anand because the prime minister's term
was nearing end.

ACM Kaset said the NPKC secretary general worked by coordinating
between the prime minister and the NPKC by arranging talks
whenever problems arose.

As for the May crisis, ACM Kaset said some people were trying to
forment a situation and conditions conducive for arousing
demonstrators to clash with soldiers.

He said the soldiers were under mental pressure.

"There were only about 2,000 soldiers against 50,000-60,000
demonstrators. That should not have happened."

However, ACM Kaset said he had sent a memo to Gen Issarapong, at
that time army commander-in-chief, outlining a five-point policy
on how to react to the situation: it also included refraining from
use of weapons.

Gen Issarapong, concurrently commander of the Capital Security
Command, sought his permission to launch the so-called Phairee
Phinat (Destruction of the Enemy) plan in dealing with the
pro-democracy protesters, according to ACM Kaset.

But ACM Kaset admitted that he himself had to be held responsible
for the crackdown on the demonstrators even though he had
delegated Gen Issarapong, in a signed letter, the authority to
enforce the plan.

Asked what he thought sparked the protests, ACM Kaset said it was
people's dissatisfaction over Gen Suchinda.

As the tide turned against him after the May crisis, ACM Kaset
said he could be made a "scapegoat" but he did not want any thing
as such to happen right from the beginning.

But what happened to Thailand in May last year was not "a great
loss", he added.

"It was the least possible loss for this type of incident. In
other countries worse has happened."

On the future of Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang, ACM Kaset said the
former Palang Dharma leader is brilliant and he will certainly
come back as the party leader or prime minister if he can win the
majority of seats in general election.

"Chamlong won't stop. He has a very comprehensive plan."

ACM Kaset also denied having conflict with Gen Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh but said the relations between the interior minister
and some senior military officers soured after Gen Chavalit
entered politics and formed his own political party.

As Gen Chavalit's party comprises executives such as Mr Veera
Musikapong and some others who were viewed as leftists, ACM Kaset
said his group could not accept Gen Chavalit's party.

The February 23 coup drifted Gen Chavalit further away from the
military, he said.

Asked about his future political career, ACM Kaset said he still
has plently of time to think about it but if there was a general
election before October, then he better start thinking soon.