Reshuffle saga leaves Sukumpol stronger

COMMENTARY

Reshuffle saga leaves Sukumpol stronger

Published: 27 Sep 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Now that the military reshuffle crisis is over, with Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat having triumphed over his rivals, the "winner" appears to have consolidated absolute power in the ministry.

Defence Minister SukumpolSuwanatat unhesitatingly demonstrated his decisiveness by transferring opponents of his reshuffle plans to inactive posts.

ACM Sukumpol is back to his old self. There are no signs of the stress that gripped him from late August, when he issued the order that reverberated like a thunderbolt _ the removals of defence permanent secretary Sathian Phoemthongin, deputy permanent secretary for defence Chatree Thatti and director-general of the Secretariat Department Pinpas Sariwat to inactive posts.

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Phu-Pa
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Discussion 11 : 28 Sep 2012 at 12.0111
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Onlyme: I think the US armed forces have 498 active duty generals.

230 for the Army, 208 for the Air Force and 60 for the Marine Corps
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aussie
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Discussion 10 : 28 Sep 2012 at 00.0910
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Even though the minister asked for some personal favours, he returned them too.
Would that not be classed as corruption ?

His practice of chued kai hai ling do (killing the rooster to frighten the monkey) will serve as an example for generals, who will now think twice about crossing him.
But it's unlikely that such a row will be repeated. ACM Sukumpol, who completed the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School's Class 10 with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has limited his political interference. He has resorted to military brotherhood, practising "give-and-take" instead.

On behalf of who exactly , oh ok , what a joke ACM Sukhumbutt is ?
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bluebottle
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Discussion 9 : 27 Sep 2012 at 22.079
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He was only carrying out Mr Ts orders but the show is not over until the fat lady sings.Do you really think you have heard the last of it do, not be so nieve.
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englishbob
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Discussion 8 : 27 Sep 2012 at 20.588
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I can't wait for the next time some Red Fanboy equates the Dems with the military... All this time they've been fooling themselves that Peua Thai are unfettered by military links.

A very dangerous move... 811 people moved almost certainly means 811 other people shunted. I doubt they were happy about their new positions.
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Lazarisbk
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Discussion 7 : 27 Sep 2012 at 17.127
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D4: They would live in the casinos
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democrazy
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Discussion 6 : 27 Sep 2012 at 10.546
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The arrogance of the mightty.
They promote their friends on the expense of the taxpayer.
But it is the same everywhere in TH: police, gov....
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onlyme
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Discussion 5 : 27 Sep 2012 at 09.535
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What is the ratio of Generals to troops to population versus say a large armed forces like the USA? Also what is the absolute count of Generals versus again the USA?
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commonman
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Discussion 4 : 27 Sep 2012 at 07.364
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It's not possible to have too many generals. Don't forget the many threats posed by our enemies and the need for strong leadership. And those white uniforms look pretty snappy. Anyway, what would these rich boys do if they weren't made generals? Work?
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khunbj
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Discussion 3 : 27 Sep 2012 at 07.153
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Khun Sukumpol marked off his territory and showed the military brass who is the alpha male....and it seems they got it.
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oldairman
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Discussion 2 : 27 Sep 2012 at 07.112
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300 MORE!!! generals?
There must be more generals than privates in the Thai military.

What do they all do?
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Reshuffle saga leaves Sukumpol stronger | Bangkok Post: opinion