CNS can now only sack the PM: Sonthi
Two months after overthrowing the Thaksin government, Council for National Security (CNS) chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin yesterday defended the CNS and himself against public frustration at the slow pace of its administration, saying that the only power they had was to remove the prime minister.
Sonthi said the CNS could not act on any of the problems, including the handling of cases related to deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, because they were the responsibility of the government and independent organisations. The government and CNS have been accused of lacking courage and urgency in dealing with alleged corruption by Thaksin's administration and for not seizing his assets. The CNS was also attacked for awarding its members salaries and appoint military personnel to state-enterprise boards. Sonthi refused to say whether he was tired of the criticism and frustration. He said it was natural. "Thai politics is like this normally. We have never been politicians. But we have learnt a great deal about political culture. Sure we are weak, but we gain experience every day,'' he said. Asked how the government should deal with the deposed prime minister, Sonthi said it had to follow the law alone. He laughed when asked if he thought it possible that Thaksin could use his billions of baht to topple the junta. He said the military was not concerned but remains vigilant over the "political undercurrent'' in the North and Northeast, nor was it worried by Thaksin's overseas trips. However he refused to give a clear answer as to why he had not lifted martial law. Sonthi said he was relieved US President George Bush told Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont that he understood Thailand's situation. He said that he was concerned that other countries might view the country negatively for being under martial law. "Yesterday [Saturday], when the prime minister talked to the US president, it changed everything,'' he said. Sonthi said the US ambassador to Thailand was the key person in making the US understand the country's political situation. Surayud explained the political developments in Thailand to fellow Asia-Pacific leaders at the weekend Apec summit in Hanoi. Sonthi admitted that the CNS needed to work harder on public relations to get the public to understand that the military had a direct duty to protect the country's natural resources.
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