"The government has asked the armed forces to submit their planned arms purchases for evaluation in a move seen as consolidating its support base. Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday told army, air force and navy commanders to prepare their weapons procurement plans for submission to the government... The government's strategy is seen as another move to cement ties with the generals.
The Abhisit government has had the support of the military since the government was established. The military has always stood by the government in dealing with the red shirts. Military bases have served as security operations commands to handle past red shirt protests...
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday said Mr Abhisit had the full backing of the military and this guaranteed there was a "one million percent" probability of there not being a coup. "Nothing to be worried about," he told reporters. In what is seen as a return of favours, the government has approved special allowances for more than 30,000 soldiers on duty to deal with the red shirt protesters. Army staff have received special daily allowances of 300 baht each in addition to their usual daily allowance of between 120 and 180 baht. . .
The source said the weapons procurement plans proposed by the armed forces would be worth an estimated 400 billion baht. The source said the navy would try again to seek authorisation to buy two second-hand submarines at a cost of more than 20 billion baht."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3485...orces-wish-list
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Abhisit pays the piper; throws money at the generals
Started by Gene, Mar 23 2010 09:51 AM
1 reply to this topic
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Posted 24 March 2010 - 09:39 AM
The only difference between Abhisit and all the other coup-appointed prime ministers in the last 75 years of Thai history is that Abhisit has no military background, whereas most coup-appointed prime ministers like Prem and Surayud were themselves army generals who the elite plucked from the royal Privy Council, took off the uniform and wore western-style suits to look like civilian prime ministers. Abhisit is re-run of what many historians call the "faux democracy" period of aristocratic rule in Thailand under men like General Prem.
