No coup under my leadership, says new army leader
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THE NEW HEAD of the military, General Chalermchai Sittisart, said Monday that the army would not stage a coup under his leadership.
“I am a professional soldier, and I follow orders from my superiors. I can confirm that there will be no coup, so there should be no concern about me,” he said.
Any government that rules with integrity is unlikely to be overthrown by the military, as the coup-makers would have no good reason to justify their action, he said.
A junta would never succeed without support from the public. “In fact, this matter also depends on the majority of people in the country. If the government rules with morality, nothing bad will happen to them.
“I want you to forget about any possible coup by the Army under my helm. Do not ask me again about this. I won’t answer anymore,” he said.
The country’s last coups in 2006 and 2014 gained the “overwhelming support” of the people, as they could help avert political violence, he said.
Chalermchai officially assumed his post as the Army commander-in-chief yesterday. He was speaking to reporters at the Royal Thai Army headquarters.
