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Published on September 20, 2007

General Anupong Paochinda is set to become the new Army chief on Octo-ber 1, following yesterday's royal command.

The move signals an attempt to deter a politicised armed forces in the post-coup period.

Anupong has been under the spotlight for months as military and political observers searched for tell-tale signs on whether his predecessor General Sonthi Boonyaratglin would try to cling to power.

The main fear was that a miscalculated decision on military succession might have an adverse impact on the restoration of democracy and an elected government.

With a wide base of support from among the Army ranks, Anupong is expected to steer his soldiers away from political meddling in order to allow politicians to do their job and pull the country out of troubled times.

With a history of 17 coups, Thailand has many invaluable lessons to show a measured distance is needed between soldiers and politics if popular democracy is to thrive.

With three years before his retirement, Anupong has sufficient clout to project his leadership to keep soldiers in the barracks despite anticipation of turbulence linked partly to the untried political system spelt out in the 2007 Constitution.

Gen Sonthi kept his cards close to his chest over the past two months, refusing to reveal his choice for a successor.

The last two weeks saw a series of intense consultations between Sonthi and Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas to line up the top brass.

Sonthi kept everyone speculating on his successor until he had a closed door meeting with Prime Minister Surayud Chula-nont last Tuesday.

A day later he handpicked Anupong, although he billed his move as a collective decision agreed by Surayud, Boonrawd and key military leaders. He also decided to move two other contenders for the job out of the Army to pave way for Anupong to exert his leadership.

Assistant Army chief Gen-eral Saprang Kalayanamitr is slated to be deputy permanent secretary at the Def-ence Ministry, while Army Chief of Staff General Montri Sang-kasap will become deputy supreme commander. Saprang has one year until he retires and is expected to continue his fight against corruption in state enterprises. Montri is in line for promotion next year to follow Gen Boonsarng Niumpradit as Supreme Commander.

The new line-up will take effect on Oct 1 for 463 senior officers in the Defence Ministry, the Supreme Command, the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Defence assignments include the elevation of General Thosarot Muang-um to a rank equivalent to field marshal, filling a newly-created position of chief ministerial adviser.

Thosarot is a decorated combat commander who fought the Communist insurgency.

General Vaipoj Srinual has made a comeback as the director of the ministry's Policy and Planning Office. Right after the coup, he was appointed to the National Legislative Assembly and rattled his minister by questioning the strategy to quell the southern insurgency.

Maj General Samrerng Siwadamrong is set to become head of the Third Army Region, overseeing the North.

The Nation