From: kamol@munnari.oz.AU (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: July3: Chatichai ambivalent on comeback call
Date: 23 Jul 92 06:10:32 GMT
Organization: Mail/News gateway

Chatichai not yet taking party's offer, cites coup
     FORMER prime minister Chatichai Choonhavan said yesterday he 
had not yet accepted the Chart Thai Party's offer to return as 
leader because he wasn't sure if there would be another coup and 
because of the stigma of being declared "unusually rich."
     Gen Chatichai, who returned yesterday morning from London, 
said it was a difficult decision and he was to discuss the matter 
last night with key party members.
     He was welcomed at Don Muang airport by party 
secretary-general Banharn Silpa-archa, former party leader ACM 
Somboon Rahong, Vatana Assavahem, Korn Dabbaransi, Thawit 
Klinprathum, Sanoh Thienthong and other senior members.
     A smiling Gen Chatichai was escorted by Mr Banharn and ACM 
Somboon to a VIP lounge where he met with reporters.
     Gen Chatichai said he went to England to visit his niece and 
the daughter of his son Kraisak, and to Switzerland to visit 
friends.
     He said he knew little about political changes in Thailand 
because he had been unable to get Thai newspapers. He had only 
heard about political developments from friends on the telephone.
     Asked about Chart Thai's resolution for him to return as 
party leader, Gen Chatichai said, "It is not easy to accept the 
post. It took me about a year to persuade ACM Somboon to be 
leader. Being party leader is easier said than done and I am old," 
he said.
     Also affecting his decision whether to return as party leader 
was the "unusually rich" ruling made against him by the Assets 
Examination Committee that was set up by the now-defunct National 
Peace-keeping Council.   The NPKC was set up by the military junta 
that overthrew his government on February 23 last year.
     He said he would rather wait for the court to make a final 
ruling on his case.
     "Chart Thai achieved a lot in the past in investment, 
exports, tourism and price guarantees for farm produce, and this 
would cause problems if Chart Thai wins a majority and becomes the 
core of the next government," he said.
     Gen Chatichai said he was not sure if there would be another 
coup d'etat.
     "I used to say I would never see another coup. Yet one 
occurred, which makes me unsure whether there will be another one. 
I have to be cautious," he said.
     He said there would be nothing to prevent his return as party 
leader if he had been ousted by Parliament instead of a coup.
     "If I come back and (my government) is ousted again, what 
could I do? So I have to think hard," Gen Chatichai said.
     Asked if he has any conditions for his return, Gen Chatichai 
said, "I doubt that some people would be happy if I came back. You 
know who these people are," said the former prime minister.
     Gen Chatichai denied reports that he had a conflict with Mr 
Banharn.
     "Mr Banharn and I have been working together for the party. 
We are not at odds," he said.
     Mr Banharn, who sat by Gen Chatichai, said the newspapers had 
printed false reports. He said he had kept in touch with Gen 
Chatichai by telephone.
     The former Suphan Buri MP said reports that some Chart Thai 
members would defect to another party were not true.
     Asked about his statement in England that the party needs to 
be revamped, Gen Chatichai said it is normal for a party to make 
improvements after a House dissolution.
     He declined to comment on the Government's plan to 
restructure the Armed Forces.
     Asked who should be party leader if he did not accept, he 
pointed at Mr Banharn, who said: "I don't accept it."
     Gen Chatichai said: "I want to see the country return to 
normal as soon as possible. While abroad, I heard people talk 
about Thailand in a negative way. We have to quickly make 
adjustments or the country's economy would be in trouble."
     Key party members, including Mr Banharn, last night met at 
Gen Chatichai's Soi Ratchakhru home.
     A leading party member, who refused to be named, said last 
night that Gen Chatichai might not accept the offer to head the 
party, because if the party wins a majority in Parliament, he 
might be nominated prime minister, which could lead to problems 
because of the ruling that he had wrongfully amassed wealth while 
in office.
     Gen Chatichai will return to England on July 15, and it is 
likely that Chart Thai members led by Korn Dabbaransi, his nephew, 
will then defect to the Siam Democratic Party, he said.
     The group does not want Gen Chatichai to lead the party, he 
said.
     A source close to Gen Chatichai has advised him against 
accepting the post, because the military is still powerful and may 
not like it.
     Chart Thai deputy spokesman Chaovarin Latthasaksiri said Gen 
Chatichai, while not immediately accepting the leadership, had not 
rejected it either.
     "He is still upset about having his wealth seized by the 
NPKC's assets committee," Chaovarin said.
     "He is also unhappy about the May bloodshed, and he is still 
worried that there is no guarantee there will not be another 
coup," he said.
     But the former Ratchaburi MP said party members were 
confident that Gen Chatichai will not turn them down.