Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda
The Bangkok Post,(16 October 2009: “Prem admits to warning Chavalit over Puea Thai”) is reporting that the aging Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda has made a “rare move” by admitting that “he urged his former aide, [General] Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, to ‘think carefully’ before joining the opposition Puea Thai Party.”
Admitting his involvement in political activity might be “rare” but Prem has been playing politics for years.
Prem Tinsulanonda made this admission when he was interviewed, “surrounded by former and current military top brass,” after “chairing the opening of the San Jai Thai Su Jai Tai (Uniting Thai Hearts for the South) project for youth in the southern provinces at the Army Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.” As can be seen in the photo, he was accompanied on this royalist mission by another privy councilor, former general and former prime minister unelected prime minister Surayud Chulanont. In recent months Prem is not often seen without Surayud as his sidekick.
On Chavalit, Prem states: “A day before he applied to be a Puea Thai member I sent a man to tell him to think carefully…”. Prem, who claims Chavalit as “a friend,” said he “believed he could warn Gen Chavalit about the ramifications of what he was about to do…”. Further, he claimed to have said, “I used these words ‘think carefully’ before joining otherwise it could end up as an act of betrayal against the country.”
In making this comment, Prem makes it clear how he views the Puea Thai Party and red shirts – they are traitors.
According to a related report in The Nation (16 October 2009: “Prem plays down rift with Chavalit”), Prem’s interview was prompted by comments by Chavalit who is reported to have claimed that “he was denied access to pay respect to Prem ahead of Chavalit’s ordination as a Buddhist monk last year. He also lamented that Prem scolded him as a traitor for deciding to team up with Thaksin’s political allies in the main opposition party.”
From the Bangkok Post
During his interview, Prem stated: “I will not make comments about politics and I will keep myself away from politics. Political problems should be left to people responsible for fixing them.”
No one believes this.
According to the Post report, as Prem was leaving the interview, he “turned to Gen Surayud and asked: Was it okay?’” and Surayud “said the Privy Council president had made a clear statement.”
In response, the Puea Thai’s Jatuporn Prompan said “Gen Chavalit need not respond to such comments and that Gen Chavalit had more ‘democratic values’ than Gen Prem,” adding that Chavalit “was not involved in a coup [in 2006].” Jatuporn urged Chavalit “not to pay a visit to the Privy Council president to avoid upsetting Puea Thai members.”
Update: We include the cartoon above from the Bangkok Post, suggestive of how the “elite” views Chavalit.
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