No coup threat on the horizon : Yuthasak

“Today I have much confidence in the armed forces. As a former defence minister, I have worked closely with the armed forces commanders-in-chief and I don’t think this thing [a coup] will happen with this government,” Yuthasak said.

He said the armed forces have cooperated well with the government. “There have been no signs of discontent. And requests from the military have always been permitted,” he said, adding that there was no problem with the recent mid-year (fiscal year) transfers of high-ranking military officers.

When asked if ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s attempt to return to Thailand without having to serve his jail term would cause some military officers to stage another coup, Yuthasak said he was unaware of any viewpoints from the military regarding the matter. Yuthasak said he did not think Thaksin’s plan to celebrate the Songkran festival next month in the neighbouring Laos and Cambodia would be a security issue for Thailand.

Meanwhile, the prime minister’s caretaker secretary-general, Police Maj-General Thawat Boonfuang, yesterday also ruled out the possibility of a military coup against the government.

“The armed forces and the government now have mutual understanding and trust. So, there is virtually no likelihood for the two sides to be in conflict or for a coup to be staged,” Thawat said.

“I don’t think there will be a coup against this government,” he said and also dismissed reports that the government set up a “war room” to monitor developments about a possible coup.

Speculation of another coup intensified after General Panlop Pinmanee, an adviser to the prime minister, claimed a group of military officers were plotting to overthrow the Yingluck Shinawatra administration.

Thawat yesterday also dismissed media reports that military and police officers who were Thaksin’s former classmates from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School were planning to bring him back to Thailand safely.

He said that due to their limited influence and power, he did not think the Class 10 officers would want to do so. He added that the reports were just an attempt at “testing the water” or gauging public sentiment about the issue.

Thawat – himself one of the Class 10 graduates – said they had never discussed the matter. He added he believed Thaksin would not return to Thailand within this year.