Sonthi 'has right to be a politician'

Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas yesterday said Council for National Security chairman Sonthi Boonyaratglin had every right to enter politics at the next election.

He added that Sonthi might consider it essential to ensure he achieves the objectives declared by the CNS.

Boonrawd said the objectives of the coup had yet to be fully achieved and the "old power clique was moving full steam to win the next election".

"It will pour everything into winning the election so it can come back. Nobody currently has as many resources as it does. We can see from its movements now that it must return," he said.

"It's not what we planned. We planned to clear them out and clean up the dirt," he added.

Meanwhile, former budget airline executive Khajit Hapananon is to form a political party to contest the next election. He will lead the party.

His Rak Chat, or Love the Nation, will "welcome" military officers seeking to enter politics.

Khajit, who is now in the United States, told The Nation "military officers who want to join my party have to leave the armed forces first. They cannot be in uniform".

Khajit is being criticised for his party being a vehicle for coup leader and Army chief Sonthi to enter politics. Sonthi retires as Army chief later this year.

Boonrawd said that did not, however, mean Sonthi wanted to enter politics.

There will be no "military party" because voters view such a thing as unsuccessful. But, people from the military might join parties, the minister said.

Sonthi is unlikely to accept a position as a party leader but he could seek a seat in Parliament through the party lists, Boonrawd said.

Khajit is close to Sonthi and General Winai Phattiyakul. He denied his party was a "nominee" for the armed forces.

"I have known many people from many fields including military officers. Winai, I have known him since he was permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry," he said.

The 68-year-old political hopeful is joined by "a group of businessmen" committed to the sufficiency economy.

Khajit was member of and candidate for the New Aspiration Party. He resigned from the military to enter business. He was a former executive of One-Two-Go Airlines and former Lions Clubs International president.

Meanwhile, Suwat Liptapanlop, a key player in the Saman Chan Group - or Reconciliation - denied he would join the Rak Chat party. He said he would start his own.

"I've have never talked to Khajit about this. But I don't know if other key men have ever talked," he said. Suwat knew Khajit in his position as acting director-general of the Thailand Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau.

In February, Suwat and political fellows Pinij Charusombat, Suwit Khunkitti and Preecha Laohapongchana - calling themselves Saman Chan - declared they would form a new party. The group includes between 40 and 50 defectors from the Thai Rak Thai.

Saman Chan and Somsak Thepsuthin's Matchima groups are viewed as political parties for members of the armed forces aspiring to cling to power.

It is reported that former military chief General Prawit Wongsuwan has already joined with Suwat.

Saman Chan member Ekkapap Pholsue said all key members remained and were working on a name for a party.

"I don't know if the name will be Rak Chat. I think we will be able to launch the new party after the charter referendum," he said, adding that his group openly welcomed all political parties and groups.

He denied the party would perpetrate Army power. "If any military officers want to enter politics they have to retire or quit the Army," he said.

Piyanart Srivalo,

Sucheera Pinijparakarn,

Kesinee Jaikawang

The Nation