Asia Times: In Thailand, old mistrust of the military linger



	January 23, 1999	atimes.com

Southeast Asia

In Thailand, old mistrust of the military linger
By Prangtip Daorueng

BANGKOK - Talk of a military coup had longdisappeared from Thailand's political scene, until a spate of bombthreats hit Bangkok and other provinces recently and an explosionoccurred in the capital.

The explosion occurred in December at the headquarters of theDemocrat Party, led by Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, who asconcurrent defense minister has been undertaking a series of armyreforms. The bomb threats have persisted this month.

While the police are still trying to find out who is responsiblefor the incidents, the fact that the military has come undersuspicion itself speaks of the public's still wary attitude towardan institution that used to dominate Thai political life.

Thais are no strangers to seeing military men holding - orseizing - the reins of power. They have seen numerous coups d'etat since the first power grab in 1932, which changed the systemfrom absolute to constitutional monarchy.

The turning point in civilian-military relations came duringthe violent civilian resistance of May 1992, which threw theruling military officers out of power.

The unseated group, which called itself the National Peace-keeping Council, had seized power in 1991 by arresting the then-prime minister, Chatichai Choonhavan, and his aides as they wereabout to take off from a plane at Don Muang airport.

Since 1992, heeding a popular clamor for an end to military-led rule, the army has withdrawn from politics, and also fromcontrol over some state enterprises.

These days, tension between the civilian government and thearmed forces remains, not over political power, but over reforms thatits officers are wary of and believe may undercut the military'sresponsibility over national security.

Like every government agency, for instance, the army is beinghit by the country's worst financial crisis in decades.

''There are some points which could create more seriousproblems between politicians and military,'' says SurachatBamrungsuk, a defense expert from the political science departmentof Chulalongkorn University.

''First thing is the budget cut. The fact that economic crisishas led to this plan raises a question from the army on what thecountry expects from them. It means, what kind of the country'smilitary power is being expected,'' Surachat adds.

The Thai military has also become the subject of reviews ofaccountability.

Thus, the military institution that had long enjoyed freedom ofspending under a ''secret budget'', free from government scrutinyor investigation, is now being asked in a rare move by the primeminister to reveal accounts as far as 10 years back.

As defense minister, Chuan also plans to cut down some militaryspending, including parts that would touch welfare benefits forlow-ranking solders. Meanwhile, the government has also initiateda defense restructuring plan.

Surachat says the issue is not whether the military issuccessful in adjusting to a non-political role after all theseyears, but how civilian leaders work with the military leadershipon what changes should be made and how.

In the eyes of Surachat, the army can accept changes but itneeds to be consulted by the politicians.

''The defense ministry reconstruction plan, which will involvea lot of change within every military institution, is a sensitiveissue. Both political and military sides need to have the sameunderstanding,'' he points out.

Surachat adds that the country's democratisation process overthe past 25 years has changed the political equation, and that itis no longer possible for the military to cast a controllingshadow over politics as in the old days.

The fact that Thailand went though major uprisings againstmilitary rule, from 1973 to the last one in May 1992, shows thatthose military rulers did not last long as those that led thecountry before 1973.

''This means military regimes can't stay for too long after thechanges,'' he says.

He says army executives have also shown their will to adjustand get out of politics. ''There are new gestures suggesting thatthey are reducing political roles. This was shown when some ofthem resigned from senator positions, as well as from some state-enterprises' boards,'' Surachat observes.

At the same time, he says the military must learn to live withmore changes, including those laid down in Thailand's newConstitution last year.

''Under this Constitution, many laws recognising the basicrights of citizens are enforced. For example, we have a freedom ofinformation law which allows people to ask for information fromgovernment agencies. They will demand more transparency within themilitary institution,'' Surachat explains.

''The new Constitution will draw a new political framework forthe country and will limit the role of the army,'' he adds.

Still, it is not always easy to erase Thais' suspicions ofmilitary rule, and some of its members' use of the institution tohide corruption and other misdeeds.

The rumours that have come up after the bomb threats do nothelp in the transition in the army's image.

Still, Surachat believes conditions inside and outside the armywill force it to withdraw further from politics in the future.''Although the parliamentary system is now under strong publiccriticism, it doesn't mean that there is a demand for militaryinterference,'' he says.

(Inter Press Service)

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