Pornchai refutes rumours of coup
****WASSANA NANUAM
(Bangkok Post dd. 2 maart 2006 // DN)
Gen Pornchai Kranlert, assistant army chief, insisted yesterday that his former classmates at the pre-cadet school will not stage a coup d’etat to secure the power of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a member of the group.
‘‘It’s just a rumour. I’d like to ask reporters not to believe rumours because there are a lot of them going around now,’’ said Gen Pornchai who is tipped to be the next army commander-in-chief.
He insisted he and other officers from Class 10 at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School strictly obeyed orders from their superiors and had no conflicts with Class 6 officers led by army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin.
‘‘The army chief loves us and has never pressured us. So I would like to confirm that Class 10 officers will not stage a coup,’’ Gen Pornchai said.
A unit of soldiers from the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division had moved out of the army headquarters and returned to the division in Kiakkai because its mission at the headquarters ended on Feb 27.
However, an army source said yesterday that Gen Sonthi had ordered 120 soldiers from the First Special Warfare Division in Lop Buri province to secure the army headquarters in place of the anti-aircraft artillery force that returned to Kiakkai.
The source said Gen Sonthi is now guarded by 25 special warfare soldiers instead of just 12 previously. Gen Sonthi yesterday denied a report that he had advised Mr Thaksin to resign during their lunch at Government House on Tuesday.
Weng Tochirakarn, chairman of the Democracy Confederation, said yesterday that reports about a secret meeting of Class 10 officers and movements of forces under their command suggested the possibility of a coup d’etat. A military coup would ruin Thai democracy, he said.
‘‘Our present democratic rule has been long developed. If a military force is used to solve political problems, it means we are backtracking,’’ Dr Weng said.
He urged Mr Thaksin to stay away from politics for a while and ensure constitutional changes that will allow the people to impeach corrupt politicians. He also demanded a consensus on every issue of national interest.