Pallop Pinmanee

INSIDE POLITICS; The new man has authority
7 October 2004
Bangkok Post

Everybody has had a turn at taking command of security in the South and none has succeeded. Well, there is yet another new sheriff in town. - There is not a new sheriff as auditor-general. That little matter has everybody confused. - There are comings and goings in the cabinet, some more willing than others.

The prime minister's restructuring of the inefficient Southern Border Province Peace-building Command is widely seen as crucial to strengthening cooperation between the different security agencies operating in the southern border provinces.

Gen Sirichai Tunyasiri, the deputy supreme commander who played a vital role in the army's success against the communists in the Northeast during the 1980s, was selected personally by Thaksin Shinawatra to lead the new command, to be based at Pattani's Sirindhorn Military Camp.

Gen Panlop Pinmanee, the deputy director of the Internal Security Operation Command, said Gen Sirichai was the best man for the job as he has military experience and the charisma and leadership to lead the command. Gen Sirichai will have direct authority over all security units, including the local police and provincial governors, in the southern border region.

"Whoever is in charge of the command must have seniority and competence, otherwise he cannot hope to win the trust and respect of local officials," Gen Panlop said. "I see Sirichai as the man for the job."

The prime minister's appointment of Gen Sirichai with full administration powers over the region is not a new idea. The same structure was used during Gen Harn Leenanond's term as commander of the 4th Army in the early 1980s.

Gen Harn was picked by Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda to lead the southern forces at a time when separatists and members of the Communist parties of Thailand and Malaya all posed a threat to security. The communists gave up their armed struggle in the South in the late 1980s.

Gen Harn, who is now a senator from Satun, was given full authority to direct the fight and order the transfer within 24 hours of any government official in the South who he thought was not pulling his weight. Gen Harn also had direct command over the police and provincial governors to coordinate the security effort.

The current rift between security agencies is acknowledged by senior security officers, hence the setting up of the Southern Border Province Peace-building Command in March under the guidance of Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Gen Chavalit had believed the command could help reinforce the security cooperation, but it came to nothing when Lt-Gen Pisarn Wattanawongkeeree, commander of the 4th Army, withdrew his support, and Pol Lt-Gen Manoj Kraiwong, commander of Police Region 9, was also unhappy at having to report to the command.

"The SBPPC [Southern Border Province Peace-building Command] was a complete failure," said Gen Panlop, who was in charge of the command briefly before his transfer following the killing on April 28 of 106 suspected militants during clashes with government forces.

No one has been in charge of the command since.

Under the command's old structure, the person in charge did not have full administration authority to handle the troubles in the region. This is in marked contrast with the new structure, which also has the benefit of the backing of the prime minister.

"The new structure will certainly improve the cooperation in the far South since senior security officers from Bangkok have been sent down there to work under Gen Sirichai," said one veteran southern officer.

The officer said he could not work out why the prime minister had not realised earlier that the Southern Border Province Peace-building Command had not got off the ground properly.

Commissioned confusion

The July 6 ruling by the Constitution Court that the Senate's selection of the auditor-general three years ago was unconstitutional has left many people at a loss as to whether Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka should be formally replaced.

The court based its ruling on the fact that the Senate selected Khunying Jaruvan from a list of nominees, instead of considering just one candidate nominated by the State Audit Commission.

The court did not say whether Khunying Jaruvan should be replaced as a result of its ruling.

The State Audit Commission appointed Puangrat Wongpho as acting auditor-general in Khunying Jaruvan's place. On Ms Puangrat retirement on Sept 30, it then appointed Jirarat Noppawong as acting auditor-general, taking over all the responsibilities once held by Khunying Jaruvan.

Now there is also confusion whether the nine members of the State Audit Commission, whose terms expired in April but have stayed on as acting commissioners until their replacements can be appointed, can select nominees for a permanent auditor-general.

The commission has taken applications, with five people applying for the position -- three from within the Office of the Auditor-General and two outsiders.

The outsiders are Pol Lt-Gen Mongkol Kamolbut, a former lecturer at the Police Academy who can boast having once taught Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and Wisut Montrivat, the younger brother of Maj-Gen Sornchai Montrivat, a Thai Rak Thai party member for Kanchanaburi.

Given the mess surrounding the commission and its past appointment efforts, many question the current process.

Surapol Nitikraipoj, rector of Thammasat University, asked why appointments were being sought now while there was still confusion surrounding Khunying Jaruvan's position.

He also put it that the Constitution Court had no right to remove a person from a position with a quango, a quasi-non-governmental organisation, such as the Office of the Auditor-General.

This matter is certain to be raised at a seminar on Oct 9 organised by the Phra Pok Klao Institute to discuss the role of the nine quangos set up under the 1997 constitution.

Removal by consent

The removal of Deputy Prime Minister Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya from the cabinet might have caught some people unaware, but within the general's camp itself, the word is that the change was in keeping with Gen Thammarak's wishes.

One aide said Gen Thammarak had asked the prime minister to remove him from the cabinet so he could concentrate on campaigning for their Thai Rak Thai party in the Northeast.

There are 136 seats up for grabs in the Northeast in the election tentatively scheduled for Feb 13,.and Gen Thammarak, a founding member of Thai Rak Thai and the party's chairman for the Northeast, is hoping the party can take at least 120 seats from the region.

"Gen Thammarak felt he had a lot to do for the party and should be allowed to leave the cabinet and concentrate on party strategy since it is only four months to the election," the aide said.

Gen Thammarak reportedly has spoken to MPs in the Northeast who were surprised when they heard he was being removed from the cabinet.

"They were concerned Gen Thammarak's removal would have a negative impact on the party's campaign in the Northeast," the aide said.

There were other surprises in the reshuffle, especially the appointment of Gen Samphan Boonyanand as the new defence minister replacing Gen Chettha Thanajaro. Gen Samphan is a former permanent secretary for defence.

"The prime minister is known to have been close to Gen Samphan for quite a long time," said one senior officer. "That is why he personally picked Samphan to be the assistant to the defence minister in late 2003.

"Samphan was once a trusted aide of Gen Sunthorn Kongsompong, who reportedly earned the respect of the prime minister before he entered politics."

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra initially wanted Gen Mongkol Ampornpisit, a former supreme commander, to take the defence portfolio but the general declined the offer.

"Gen Mongkol did not think the timing was right to enter politics since the present administration would only last till early next year," said one of Gen Mongkol's aides.

He said Gen Mongkol also felt uncomfortable about taking the job as he would be replacing Gen Chettha, a close colleague in the past.

The aide said he was confident however that Gen Mongkol would take a cabinet seat after the next election if he was approached a second time.

Luang Por Ut-tama, the highly respected abbot of Wat Wanwiwae-garam in Kanchanaburi's Sangkhla Buri district, once told Gen Mongkol to be very careful about rushing into politics before early next year.