Prayuth upbeat on ties with new minister
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Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday said he was confident that military camaraderie would ensure smooth ties between the armed forces and incoming Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwannathat .
“Sukampol was a pre-cadet upperclassman, so he and I can talk in a brotherly manner and will not hurt each other,” he said.
Prayuth played down fears that a conflict over the midyear military reshuffle would trigger a military coup in April.
“Soldiers have a single duty: to heed the orders of their superiors,” he said.
He was reacting to speculation that Sukampol might try to exert influence over the military rotations.
Commenting on the Cabinet reshuffle, Prayuth said the government had a mandate to name the defence minister without having to consult the armed forces.
He said outgoing minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha told him his promotion to the position of deputy prime minister was a change for the better.
“Yuthasak will oversee security affairs, including the Defence Ministry,” Prayuth said.
Sukampol tried to allay anxieties his appointment would stir up tensions between the government and the military.
“I am not a hawk, as portrayed in the media, but a reasonable man,” he said.
He dismissed speculation he would amend the Defence Minister Administration Act in regard to military appointments, saying he would not take a stand until he had been able to study relevant issues thoroughly.
He said he would abide by existing rules in regard to the military line-up. Should his decisions on military reshuffles impact the government, he would consult the prime minister before implementing them, he said.
As a retired Air Force officer, he should not have any trouble overseeing military affairs, he said.
He does not want to live in the past, he said, apparently referring to the derailing of his military career by the 2006 coup.
Insisting he has good ties with Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Itthaporn Suphawong, Sukampol dismissed speculation he would mount a military purge.
