Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Mon, 16 Nov 1992 07:54:09 EST
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: Manoon set to surrender

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 92 22:23:13+0700
From: Kamol Hengkietisak <kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th>

MANOON Roopkachorn, the alleged mastermind of the 1983
assassination plots against national leaders, is expected to
surrender to Police Department chief Sawat Amornvivat this week to
fight the charges in court.

Sources close to the ex-army general told the Bangkok Post that
Manoon has already returned to Thailand after spending more than a
year in hiding overseas following the February 23 coup last year
against the Chatichai Choonhavan government by the National
Peace-keeping Council.

Manoon was accused by the NPKC of masterminding assassination
attempts against a member of the country's top institution and
national leaders who included former prime minister Prem
Tinsulanonda and ex-military boss Gen Arthit Kamlang-ek. The
assassination attempts were claimed to have been made after Manoon
led a group of "Young Turk" army officers in an unsuccessful bid
to overthrow the Prem government in 1981.

The sources said Manoon was confident that he could prove he was
innocent. They said Manoon decided to surrender after consulting
with several senior politicians including de facto Palang Dharma
Party leader Chamlong Srimuang, Chart Pattana Party leader
Chatichai Choonhavan and Democrat Secretary-General Sanan
Kachornprasart. Maj-Gen Chamlong and Col Sanan were Manoon's
classmates at the Chulachomklao Military Academy.

The senior politicians welcomed Manoon's decision to surrender so
that he could fight the charges in court.

Manoon, a leader of the Chulachomklao Military Academy Class 7,
fled the country in the wake of police allegations, backed by the
all-powerful Chulachomklao Academy Class 5 members in the NPKC,
that he was the mastermind of the assassination plots.

Manoon, who then held the rank of major-general and was assigned
to assist Gen Chatichai, was implicated by Col Bulsak Pocharoen,
his classmate who switched sides to become a key NPKC witness in
the case.

Muan Chon Party leader Chalerm Yubamrung, who was then minister of
the Prime Minister's Office, came out to defend Manoon, saying the
allegations were pure fabrication and offered to bring witnesses
to counter the police charges. But his move was pre-empted by the
NPKC-led coup and Maj-Gen Manoon was subsequently stripped of his
rank.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, asked for comment, welcomed Manoon's
decision to surrender, saying Manoon "could not have run forever."

The sources said Manoon had wanted to surrender for quite some
time to fight the charges in court but his supporters and close
associates advised him to delay the decision until after the
general election.

Manoon, the sources said, has contacted well-known human rights
lawyer Thongbai Thongpao to handle his defence.

Manoon has said he has a taped statement of Col Bulsak made in
1986 which contradicts with the statement the latter made which
was televised by the NPKC after the coup.

In the televised statement, Col Bulsak accused Manoon of being the
mastermind of the assassination plots while in the taped statement
which Manoon claims to possess Col Bulsak has called his former
classmate "highly loyal to the members of the country's highest
institution."

The sources quoted Manoon as saying that he would fight the case
in court till the end and ask the army to restore his rank after
he is proven innocent.
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