Pallop Pinmanee

Pallop quits over Thanom row.
30 April 1999
The Nation (Thailand)

THE assistant secretary to the defence minister has resigned from his post and from the Democrat Party over his comments on the appointment of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn as a royal guard.

Gen Phallop Pinmanee said Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, who is defence minister, was upset with him over his comments on the appointment of Thanom through Deputy Defence Minister Wathanachai Wuthisiri and Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart.

After meeting Chuan, Wathanachai directly blamed him for the incident, Phallop said.

"I have made up my mind. I cannot continue working in a situation like this. Wathanachai also told me that the prime minister had said I tried to destroy the Democrat Party," he said.

Phallop had made the comments to the press after Chuan came under attack by the media and the pro-democracy groups.

He said when the appointment was being processed, he opposed Chuan's decision by warning him through his staff that he had made the wrong decision which would lead to a lot of trouble.

Phallop denied that he instigated the protest against Thanom's He submitted his resignation to Wathanachai who would forward it for Cabinet acknowledgment next week.

Phallop said Wathanachai had asked him to review his decision but he refused.

He also submitted a resignation letter to the director of the Democrat Party.

Asked if he thought Chuan trusted him, Phallop said Chuan was not happy with his comments to the press about the military's internal affairs, such as his remarks about Chuan's decision to cut the fringe benefits of military officials without approval from the military.

He said he was not the one who revealed the issue but Lt-Gen Pirat Sawamiwat.

"Chuan thought Pirat is my friend so he blamed me. But I rather stand by my friend. The secretary's post is not that important," he said.

Phallop contested the last general election under the Democrat Party banner in Bangkok Constituency 1. He joined the party in May 1996.

He is in the Young Turk group of the "Class 7" of Chulachomklao Military Academy, or those who graduated in 1955. He took part in the April 1981 coup.

Phallop said Chuan politically destroyed several people in Class 7 including Col Prachak Sawangjit and even Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang.

"Chuan was the one who said Chamlong led people to their deaths in the May bloodshed," he said.