Thai PM hosts lunch for top brass to introduce new defence minister

Srettha had reportedly invited top brass to lunch to introduce Sutin and explain why he had appointed a civilian to the post.

Top brass invited included General Songwit Noonpakdee, the next chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces; General Charoenchai Hinthao, the next Royal Thai Army chief; Admiral Adung Phan-iam, the next Navy chief; and Air Chief Marshall Panpak Pattanakul, the next Air Force chief.

Sources said Srettha and Sutin wanted particularly to hear the opinions of the new Army chief. They also wanted to explain the government’s key policies as well as lay out the help that would be required to implement national development policies while maintaining security.

The press was not allowed to cover this meeting.

Sources said the luncheon meeting kicked off at 11.30am at the Rosewood Hotel on Ploenchit Road, and that the atmosphere was “amicable”.

Apart from Sutin, Srettha also introduced Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Panpree Phathithanukorn to the top brass.

Sources said the meeting talked about military policies in general without going into details.

Sources added that Sutin was scheduled to meet academics who are experts on security affairs, including Prof Surachart Bamrungsuk, who lectures at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science.

The defence minister had also met and discussed the subject with another academic, Paisal Puechmongkol, last week.

Srettha had also reportedly met some military leaders earlier to discuss how his government and the armed forces could work together and promised to heed their suggestions.

Sources said Srettha has assured the military that his civilian government would not reduce funding for the procurement of armaments, especially weapons necessary to protect the borders.

However, sources said, Srettha plans to ask the military to use locally made weapons and opt for barter trade when negotiating to purchase new weapons from foreign governments.