ID :
187658
Fri, 06/10/2011 - 08:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/187658
The shortlink copeid
COUP LEADER WILLING TO JOIN GOVT OF THAKSIN'S SISTER
BANGKOK, June 10 (Bernama) -- The general who led the bloodless coup to topple Thaksin Shinawatra's government in 2006 is willing to join the latter's sister if her party leads the next Thai government.
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, leader of the Matubhum party, said his party was prepared to join either the Democrat-led government or Pheu Thai-led government after the general election.
"We would like to join the next government even if Pheu Thai leads after the July 3 elections," he told Bernama.
Incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is the prime ministerial
candidate of the Democrats while Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck is Pheu Thai's premiership candidate. Thaksin is the de facto leader of Pheu Thai.
Matubhum was one of the seven coalition partners in the Democrat-led government before the dissolution of Parliament on May 10.
In this general election, all the seven coalition partners are contesting on their respective party tickets and not on a coalition ticket.
However, Sonthi cited three conditions to join the Pheu Thai-led government: Matubhum is invited to join the coalition, shares the same policies, and Matubhum's committee decides on the matter.
He said Matubhum could accept Pheu Thai because the latter's policies were quite democratic compared to the now defunct Thaksin-led Thai Rak Thai party's policies.
"There should not be any problem if Yingluck practises democratic ways and means even though she is Thaksin's sister.
"If she practises undemocratic ways and means, surely voters will reject her in this general election, (and) thus (she) cannot lead the next government," said Sonthi.
Sonthi said his party wanted to join the next government so that as it could implement its policies, including on education, the economy and solving the southern Thailand problem.
Asked why he used democratic means now by joining the election when he used undemocratic means to topple Thaksin's administration on Sept 19, 2006, he said the coup was launched because the government then was dictatorial.
"The 2006 coup was not to destroy democracy but to save democracy. It was not a democracy government then but a dictator government in economy and Parliament ... giving benefits to certain people only through economic monopoly and control freedom," he said.
Sonthi, who was the Army Chief then, said that without the military
interference on Sept 19, the situation in the country might have led to civil war between the Yellow Shirts and the opposite group (Red Shirts) on Sept 20.
"It was my military duty then to launch the coup and solve those problems in 2006," he said.
Sonthi said most of the Thais supported the coup then and some even gave roses to soldiers.
"I use the democratic means to join the election now because my party wants to develop education in order to develop the country's economy and eradicate poverty," he said.
Matubhum is the latest Democrat coalition partner which has indicated its willingness to jump ship and join Pheu Thai if Pheu Thai forms the next government following the rising popularity of the opposition party and Yingluck based on most of the opinion polls conducted by local universities and pollsters.
Prior to this, other coalition partners such as Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Bhumjaithai showed their preparedness to join the bandwagon but Pheu Thai rejected Bhumjaithai's offer due to differences in ideologies.
Asked whether he feared that Pheu Thai may take revenge against him if the party formed the next government, Sonthi said: "I am not afraid because I was not wrong. There are rules of law in this country."
Asked whether there could be possibly another coup after the July 3 general election in order to prevent Pheu Thai from forming the next government if it succeeded in the election, as feared by some Pheu Thai politicians, Sonthi said: "It is impossible because Thais will not agree with a coup this time if voters choose Pheu Thai to lead the next government."
However, he believed such fear was created as propaganda to increase Pheu Thai's popularity during this election.
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, leader of the Matubhum party, said his party was prepared to join either the Democrat-led government or Pheu Thai-led government after the general election.
"We would like to join the next government even if Pheu Thai leads after the July 3 elections," he told Bernama.
Incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is the prime ministerial
candidate of the Democrats while Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck is Pheu Thai's premiership candidate. Thaksin is the de facto leader of Pheu Thai.
Matubhum was one of the seven coalition partners in the Democrat-led government before the dissolution of Parliament on May 10.
In this general election, all the seven coalition partners are contesting on their respective party tickets and not on a coalition ticket.
However, Sonthi cited three conditions to join the Pheu Thai-led government: Matubhum is invited to join the coalition, shares the same policies, and Matubhum's committee decides on the matter.
He said Matubhum could accept Pheu Thai because the latter's policies were quite democratic compared to the now defunct Thaksin-led Thai Rak Thai party's policies.
"There should not be any problem if Yingluck practises democratic ways and means even though she is Thaksin's sister.
"If she practises undemocratic ways and means, surely voters will reject her in this general election, (and) thus (she) cannot lead the next government," said Sonthi.
Sonthi said his party wanted to join the next government so that as it could implement its policies, including on education, the economy and solving the southern Thailand problem.
Asked why he used democratic means now by joining the election when he used undemocratic means to topple Thaksin's administration on Sept 19, 2006, he said the coup was launched because the government then was dictatorial.
"The 2006 coup was not to destroy democracy but to save democracy. It was not a democracy government then but a dictator government in economy and Parliament ... giving benefits to certain people only through economic monopoly and control freedom," he said.
Sonthi, who was the Army Chief then, said that without the military
interference on Sept 19, the situation in the country might have led to civil war between the Yellow Shirts and the opposite group (Red Shirts) on Sept 20.
"It was my military duty then to launch the coup and solve those problems in 2006," he said.
Sonthi said most of the Thais supported the coup then and some even gave roses to soldiers.
"I use the democratic means to join the election now because my party wants to develop education in order to develop the country's economy and eradicate poverty," he said.
Matubhum is the latest Democrat coalition partner which has indicated its willingness to jump ship and join Pheu Thai if Pheu Thai forms the next government following the rising popularity of the opposition party and Yingluck based on most of the opinion polls conducted by local universities and pollsters.
Prior to this, other coalition partners such as Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Bhumjaithai showed their preparedness to join the bandwagon but Pheu Thai rejected Bhumjaithai's offer due to differences in ideologies.
Asked whether he feared that Pheu Thai may take revenge against him if the party formed the next government, Sonthi said: "I am not afraid because I was not wrong. There are rules of law in this country."
Asked whether there could be possibly another coup after the July 3 general election in order to prevent Pheu Thai from forming the next government if it succeeded in the election, as feared by some Pheu Thai politicians, Sonthi said: "It is impossible because Thais will not agree with a coup this time if voters choose Pheu Thai to lead the next government."
However, he believed such fear was created as propaganda to increase Pheu Thai's popularity during this election.
