POLITICS
WASSANA NANUAM
The military is sitting on its hands as a close aide of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra tries to befriend the army chief, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) claimed yesterday. PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul said Sudarat Keyuraphan, a former Thai Rak Thai party executive with close ties to the former prime minister, was trying to get close to Pravit Wongsuwan, the retired army chief.
Gen Pravit chairs the Class 6 alumni of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy and is said to be liked by army chief Anupong Paochinda.
Mr Sondhi said Khunying Sudarat was invited to a recent gathering of the alumni attended mostly by former members of the Council for National Security (NSC) which engineered the 2006 coup.
He asked why she was mingling with the top-ranking soldiers who ousted the government she served.
Khunying Sudarat was public health minister in the Thaksin administration.
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Fancy seeing you here
Despite the tense political situation, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was in a good mood when he greeted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the wedding of Chart Thai chief adviser Sanan Kachornprasart's daughter at the Hotel Plaza Athenee in Bangkok yesterday.
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Mr Sondhi accused Gen Pravit of playing the role of broker, linking Khunying Sudarat with Gen Anupong, who wields the highest military power.
He said she was co-organising a mass merit-making event with Gen Pravit, Gen Anupong and police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan.
The ceremony, in which 9,999 monks will give a mass prayer, is on July 20.
Mr Sondhi said Khunying Sudarat was the wrong choice for co-organiser because her election rights have been suspended as a result of electoral fraud committed by her Thai Rak Thai party, which was dissolved.
''If this event was being organised by the army alone, there would be nothing to argue against. But one co-organiser is politically tainted,'' he said.
Supreme Commander Gen Boonsrang Niempradit said he did not invite Khunying Sudarat to the alumni party and he had no idea if she was on the ceremony organising panel.
''The merit-making project is to honour His Majesty the King and anyone can join. I don't care for the political implications,'' he said.
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