Defence Ministry defends over transfer of Adm Bannawit

Ministry's spokesman Lt Gen Pitchanu Putchakarn said the ministry's permanentsecretary General Winai Phattiyakul as Bannawit's boss had consulted with chiefs of three military armies. They all agreed to reach the decision to remove Bannawit, whom they said had misbehaved by criticising his bosses. Otherwise, Bannawit would cause rifts among the ranks, he said.

Bannawit has been transferred from Defence Ministry's deputy permanent secretary to be a chief adviser.

General Toosarat Muangam, a Ministry chief adviser, has replaced him as deputy permanentsecretary.

Bannawit lashed out recently at form Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin for not appointing General Saprang Kalayanamitr as the new Army commander. He also criticised his boss Winai for appointing a brotherinlaw to assume a highranking post.

Pitchanu dismissed an allegation that the transfer of Bannawit was unusual because the ministry now did not have a representative from the Navy as deputy permanentsecretary, which is a norm of the ministry.

He said the law did not specify such a norm. It only stated that the post was reserved for a military officer with the position of "General", he added.

Pitchanu denied the ministry removed Bannawit because he would reveal evidence of a suspected fraud concerning the purchase of armoured vehicles from Ukraine. He said the ministry had its own probing procedures to ensure the army received the greatest benefit from any arms deal.