Premier vows close links with military

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday vowed that her government would not meddle in military affairs but would work closely with the top brass to protect the monarchy as well as ensure security, reconciliation and peace. 

“The government and Armed Forces share the same aspirations, including the heeding of the royal advice to address the plight of the people,” she said after her introductory visit to the Defence Ministry.

Yingluck said civilian and military leaders would work in concerted effort to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and the monarchy.

As an immediate priority, the government and the military would focus on post-flood reconstruction, she said, adding that future cooperation would see the involvement of the military in infrastructure development.

Commenting on the thorny issue of amending the Defence Ministry Administration Act to curb the military’s powers on job assignments, she said the issue had not come up at this juncture.

She said her government and the military would strive to prevent abuses being heaped on the monarchy, vowing to bring about a better understanding in the face of royal insults.

“I don’t want to fault any group, since I believe in the loyalty of everyone and their good intentions to advance the country,” she said.

Led by Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha, the top brass organised a fanfare welcoming ceremony for the country’s first female prime minister.

At the start of her visit, Yingluck paid her respects before a picture of King Chulalongkorn, founder of the modern Armed Forces, before inspecting the Guard of Honour.

Yuthasak gave a briefing on his ministerial work as well as the military line of command before hosting a luncheon for the prime minister.

In a gesture of strengthening government-military ties, Yingluck is planning to visit the Army, Navy and Air Force in due course.

Yuthasak told reporters later that the prime minister did not make any comment on any specific military affairs but asked how the military could repair damage caused by the major floods.

The Armed Forces have proposed a budget for their rehabilitation and recovery plan of the units affected by the flood. The prime minister had no problem with the budget request but just questioned why the Air Force had proposed a bigger budget than the others. She recommended adjustment of the budget and setting priorities for spending, Yuthasak said.

The top brass explained to Yingluck their budget plan and expenses, which were trimmed down, he said. 

“We told the prime minister that if the government would be able to allocate some Bt1 billion more, it would allow the Armed Forces to fulfil their strategic plan,” Yuthasak said, and noted that Yingluck would consider the needs of the military.

Yingluck told the commanders that she would regularly visit and have lunch with the Armed Forces every two months to get familiar with them, according to Yuthasak.

Asked whether the planned regular visits showed her mistrust of the Armed Forces, Yuthasak said the government trusted the military but the regular meetings would open more chances for two-way communication.

“The prime minister has been satisfied with the military over the past three months in office,” he said, “notably the military role in helping the government fight the flood disaster.”