- by Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist
Bangkok Post, national security journalist, Wassana, just reported that the Thai army chief, Prayuth, just showed Thailand’s prime minister Yingluck, a Thai military made hand machine gun, for Yingluck to test.
“Yingluck was a little scared but was also curious,” said Wassana.
- The hand machine gun, as reported earlier by the Thai press, is similar to Israel world famous, Uzi machine gun. Matichon, a local newspaper for the intellect, earlier reported that the Thai military will be in a position to export arms in about 2 years-where the focus will be on infantry related weaponry, including small arms.
In Yingluck’s address to the Thai parliament on military affairs, Yingluck said, quote: “Developing a local arms industry is my priority for the Thai armed force.” However, since then, Prayuth, have been giving military contacts to foreign suppliers, by passing capable local arms industry suppliers.
Overall, the Thai military budget ballooned after the 2006 coup, and many question if Yingluck will cut back on defense spending-as there are a few big-ticket item on the line such as a fleet of submarines and the continued build-up of another mechanized division in the E-Sarn region.
- Relations between the Thai military and Yingluck, just keeps on getting more solid, with Yingluck telling the Thai local press, yesterday, that the Thai military will not stage a coup.
Pressed further, by the local press to elaborate, Yingluck jokingly told the Thai press to ask the Thai military joint-chiefs of staff, if he will stage a coup or not.
- However, Yingluck is not an easy rubber stamp for the Thai military, as indicated by her cautious in approving the Thai military damage repair budget request for the Don Muang airport-head quarter of the Thai air force. Regrettably, however, Yingluck have used the lese majeste issue, as a way to appease the Thai military.
Recently, the Thai military joint chief of staff, went off-side Yingluck, in saying that the Thai military high command will reject the World Court ruling on the disputed Thai Cambodian area near the Phra Vihere relics-to only come out latter on, as reported by Wassana, Bangkok Post’s famous national security journalist-to have reversed his position and said, the Thai military will consult with Yingluck after the World Court ruling, before the military takes the next move.
- These movements are significant:
Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party had express interest in re-writing the law governing the human resource practice of the Thai military, in giving the government more say, in the military re-shuffles. Also, the Pheu Thai Party, is interested in re-forming the military heavy Thailand security apparatus, to have more politicians represented there.
Then within the Thai military itself, is highly fractionalized, with segments that are close to Yingluck and segments that are close to the old guard of the Thai establishment. The Thai privy council, Prem, an arch enemy of Taksin, has long engineered the Thai military to be run by people loyal to himself. However, Prem, at 92, have left little to fill the vacuum that will emerge after his death.
- There is no latest on these moves, as Yingluck and the Thai military relations is solidifying, more and more everyday-and Yingluck’s position on her relationship with the military is going through a constant “Re-Definement.”
Thailand currently, faces several international relations questions, that is requiring the in-put of a stronger Thai defense establishment. China is very aggressive in the Pacific and ASEAN as a whole is fast building up their defense capabilities. And the Thai Cambodian relations, continues to be a highly charged issue in Thailand.
- International Crisis Group, just issued an analysis saying the Thai establishment, quote, “Whipped-Up” Thailand’s anti-Cambodian sentiment to go after Taksin, Yingluck’s brother who was ousted by the 2006 coup. Yingluck and Taksin are considered close to Cambodia, with Cambodian prime minister, Hun Sen, son, just came to the marriage ceremony of one of Taksin’s daughter held in Bangkok.
Cambodia, meanwhile, just today, took over the chair of ASEAN, from Indonesia. While keeping on a diplomatic face, most of ASEAN were bitter about Thailand’s position on Cambodia-as Thailand’s hawkish position had tarnished ASEAN reputation globally. The World Court is also expected to make a final ruling on the Phra Vihear relics, sometime this year.
- However, Thai Intel’s sources with the moderate in the Thai military, continues to say that Thailand needs to take a hawkish position on Cambodia, as the Phra Vihear territorial dispute, relates to Thai sovereignty and there is also the dispute in the Gulf of Siam with Cambodia-where a great deal of oil and gas is on the line.
“It is Thai territory,” said the moderate in the Thai military. Earlier, Wassana reported that the Thai military de-briefed the Thai Cambodian situation to Yingluck.
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