MILITARY TOP BRASS: Reshuffle announced

Published on Aug 3, 2002

Thaksin denies Surayud's promotion is due to a rift with the Army chief

The government yesterday moved to quell rumours of military commanders jockeying for position by announcing the Royal Command to shuffle the top four military posts.

Under the Royal Command, which will take effect on October 1, Army Commander-in-Chief General Surayud Chulanont will replace outgoing Supreme Commander Admiral Narong Yuthawong, who is retiring.

Army Chief of Staff General Somdhat Attanand is to be promoted as Surayud's successor.

Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Thaweesak Somapa and Deputy Air Force Commander-in-Chief Air Chief Marshal Kongsak Wantana are slated to lead their respective forces, replacing the two retiring chiefs, Admiral Prasert Boonsong and ACM Pong Maneesilp.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra defended the military reshuffle as routine and transparent, though critics voiced suspicion over an alleged undercurrent between government and military leaders.

"Please don't read too much into this military rotation. The list is based on seniority, suitability and transparency," Thaksin said.

"General Surayud is the senior-most general and he is slated for promotion to become the supreme commander," he said.

Unlike the previous years, the government opted for a two-tier military shuffle this year by first appointing the four top-most commanders before proceeding to prepare the full rotation list, defence officials said.

The two-tier system was meant to pre-empt rumour mongers and allow the outgoing and incoming chiefs to prepare for a smooth transition, they said.

The full list for the annual military rotation is expected to be announced next month before coming into effect in October.

The pending changes in the Supreme Command, the Navy and the Air Force attracted scant attention, as respective commanders were about to retire in two months.

Critics questioned why the government rushed to shuffle Surayud as he still had almost two years of active service left.

Yesterday's announcement also came out amid rumours about personality clashes between Thaksin and Surayud and about policy conflict on border affairs between government and military leaders.

The prime minister played down the speculation on Surayud's transfer, arguing that despite his unblemished performance, the army commander had served four years already and that his remaining in the post would stifle the promotion of junior officers.

"It is time for Surayud to move on in his military career," he said.

Even before this year's debacle over Thai-Burmese border affairs, government leaders - particularly Defence Minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh - had made it known that they wanted a new Army commander.

Chavalit has made many public comments about Surayud's career path.

Surayud had sensed this changing fortune and last year started to prepare for his "promotion".

He moved his lieutenant, General Boonrawd Somtas, to the post of chief of the joint staff at the Supreme Command and promoted Somdhat as his chief of staff and heir apparent.

In April, the inner circle of Thaksin's advisers started leaking news about Surayud's reassignment.

In June, the prime minister made his infamous "overreaction" comment, blaming the military for the rising tension along the Thai-Burmese border.

For the first time in his career, the Army commander replied to a political comment, saying his soldiers had followed the rules of engagement approved by the government when dealing with border incursion.

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