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| Prime Minister Surayud (l.), and General Sondhi (r.), are pushing for a law that would expand the military's power. Sukree Sukplang/Reuters |
Thai generals' security bill a power play before vote
A year after their coup and ahead of a December election, the military pushes for expanded powers.
from the September 19, 2007 edition
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In response, military hard-liners have pushed for the passing of the internal security law. Critics say the proposed legislation, which reengineers a cold-war-era Army directorate to tackle loosely defined threats, would undo constitutional safeguards on civil rights and undercut democracy.
"The question is, why does the Army chief need these powers? Obviously it's to deal with any prime minister that the army doesn't like. It gives them control over the country," says Jon Ungpakorn, a former senator who has lobbied against the bill.
In an echo of events in Pakistan, coup leader Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratglin is widely expected to enter politics after he retires as Army chief on Sept. 30. Political leaders have reportedly offered him a security portfolio in a future cabinet, and analysts say he may also run for parliament in an Army-dominated constituency.
A replacement for General Sondhi has yet to be named amid intense jockeying over annual military promotions. Bangkok newspapers have tipped Gen. Anupong Paochinda, who commanded key Army units during the coup, as the front-runner.
Whoever takes over faces a challenge common to all coup leaders: finding political leaders who can be entrusted with power.
That excludes former lawmakers in Thai Rak Thai. Some 180 loyalists have regrouped under the leadership of Samak Sundaravej, a veteran politician. This group mounted a vigorous campaign last month against the new constitution, which was approved by a lower-than-expected margin of 58 percent.
Faced with this defiance, the military has courted politicians in other parties, including heavyweight defectors from Thai Rak Thai, who are angling for a spot in any future coalition government. But that ballast may not be enough to thwart a repackaged Thai Rak Thai that can count on Thaksin's popular appeal and well-oiled election machine.
Human rights groups, lawyers, and academics have loudly opposed the bill, which was approved by the cabinet in June and sent for review to government lawyers. The interim legislature is expected to table it for debate in the next few weeks.
Analysts warn that the junta is determined to pass some form of security law, but some opponents say that as the election draws closer, the bill will prove harder to pass, given the junta's waning popularity. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, a respected former general, has already agreed that the security directorate should be controlled by the prime minister, not the Army chief.
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