Saturday, March 27, 2010

'Government-military nexus' decried

Army said to manipulate prime minister in 'too cosy' relationship

"The People's Parliament", where many opposition Pheu Thai MPs launched a "censure debate" on the red-shirt stage at Phan Fa Bridge, yesterday put the military in the firing line for allegedly manipulating the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration.

"We are witnessing the completion of a hidden coup," said Sathaporn Maneerat, Pheu Thai MP for Lamphun province, adding that the military deploying barbed wire at Parliament for two days earlier this week clearly demonstrates this.

Sathaporn said because the current government coalition was formed in an Army base - the official residence of Army chief General Anupong Paochinda - the relationship between the government and the Army was "cosy".

Pol Lt-Colonel Somchai Petchprasert, chairman of the House committee on military affairs, said the government had been silent about much military-related corruption due to the government's dependence on the military.

"Why are you so afraid of the Army?" Somchai asked Prime Minister Abhisit.

"The military has now become the decision-maker as to whether this government will stay or go, and the government dare not touch their budget requests."

Somchai cited the controversial Sky Dragon airship purchased by the Army for Bt350 million - and which apparently is not functional - as an example.

The MP said there appeared to have been no test-run of the airship prior to delivery.

"So how can we trust this government and the armed forces?" he added.

SOLDIER ALLOWANCE 'ABSURD'

Another Pheu Thai MP, Thongdee Manitsa from Udon Thani, said the special allowance of Bt400 per day per person for the 47,000 soldiers dispatched to contain the red-shirt protesters in Bangkok was absurd.

He pointed out that soldiers risking their lives in the deep South were given only Bt120 to Bt180.

Pheu Thai MP Witthaya Songtham from Chiang Mai said the Army received a lot of budget for work on "national reconciliation", only to have ended up having "a million" red shirts on Rajdamnoen Avenue.

A dozen Pheu Thai MPs who boycotted the parliamentary session earlier this week spoke on other topics on the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship rally stage yesterday.

They were attempting to expose what they said was the Abhisit administration's corruption and abuse of power.

Their accusations ranged from alleged corruption in the healthcare budget to mismanagement of foreign policy.

On healthcare, Pheu Thai MP Surawit Konsomboon alleged that as much as 40 per cent of the Bt86-billion Thai Khemkhaeng health budget had been lost to corruption.

He cited the Bt500,000 budget for new flag poles for every tambon-level hospital as overpriced.

"I think Bt50,000 is enough," he said.

"Ask any grade-two or -three students, and even they will recognise that this is corruption."

Torphong Chaisarn, Pheu Thai MP for Udon Thani and chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs, called Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya "foul-mouthed" and said he had caused much tension between Thailand and neighbouring states, such as Cambodia and Burma.

Sathaporn added that the fact those taking part in the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008, like Kasit, were rewarded with a ministerial portfolio was clear proof of "double standards" in Thai society and politics.

Regarding the attack on the Interior Ministry, Thongdee alleged that the ministry had mobilised 25 people per village throughout the Kingdom and paid them Bt100 to rally and accuse the red shirts of being anti-monarchist.

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