Five promoted to general in army reshuffle
The midyear military reshuffle sees the elevation of five classmates of Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha to the rank of full general to fill advisory positions.
The promotion is seen as ceremonial because the five are slated for mandatory retirement in September.
The five include Second Army Region commander Lt-General Thawatchai Samutsakorn and Third Army Region commander Lt-General Wanthip Wongwai.
Prayuth portrayed the reshuffle as low-key, saying the line-up was routine in accordance with seniority.
He said some graduates of Pre-Cadet Class 20 might have been put on the fast track for promotion but they had job performance to justify being rewarded.
He also said his brother Maj-General Preecha Chan-ocha was not disappointed at being overlooked in the reshuffle.
Preecha was previously tipped to become the commander of the Third Army Region. But Prayuth said his brother was a graduate of Pre-Cadet Class 15 and none of his classmates had reached a senior position.
The reshuffled list involving 127 positions was released on Wednesday after royal endorsement.
Of 127 positions, the Army saw 47 officers rotated. Key appointments included Lt-General Channarong Thanarun becoming commander of the Third Army Region and Lt-General Wibul Pongklansanoh becoming commander of the Second Army Region.
Maj-General Somsak Nilbanjerdkul is slated to become commander of the 1st Cavalry Division.
Colonel Noppawong Surawichai is to be elevated to the rank of major-general in the position of commander of the 5th Infantry Division, a unit newly formed to deal with the southern insurgency.
Colonel Archanai Srisuk is to be elevated to the rank of major-general leading the 3rd Cavalry Division, a newly formed unit based in Khon Kaen.
Sixteen Army colonels are to become major-generals.
The Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence saw the dispensing of new assignments for 47 officers.
General Chusak Santiworawut is slated to become chief staff officer attached to the permanent secretary for Defence.
The Armed Forces Headquarters saw the reshuffle of 20 officers. General Chayut Suwannamat is to become chief staff officer attached to the supreme commander.
The Navy saw rotations involving eight officers in the rank of vice admiral and rear admiral.
The Air Force saw a minimal change involving two officers. The two, including one
female, will be elevated from the rank of colonel to air marshal.
