Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Sun, 27 Sep 1992 14:38:06 EDT
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: Polit. stability needed to back defence reforms

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 92 16:43:27+0700
From: yongyuth@munnari.oz.au (Yongyuth Pahirah)

The Nation Sunday Sept 27 edition

THE military expects the new government to concentrate on strengthening
overall political stability and looking after policy matters, conditions which
an army officer describes as being conducive to the painstaking process that
has just begun to reform the Armed Forces.

  Special Warfare Commander Lt Gen Surayudh Chulanonda, asked what kind of
  government-military relationship he wants from now on, told <m:4>The Nation
  <m:0>last week that politicians and military officers should try to do their
  jobs the best they could.

  ``The key factor now is stability in the political system, which I am
  hopeful many politicians I know want to strengthen. The government should
  also handle policy matters, leaving such things as personnel administration
  to those responsible in the Armed Forces,'' he said.

  If the political system is strong and credible in the eyes of the public,
  then outside interference would have difficulty in succeeding, he said.

  He said that the military would be kept too busy with their new
  responsibilities to interfere in politics or other matters outside of their
  duties.

  ``The task of finding and implementing effective ways of reducing the size
  of the Armed Forces alone was already a tough job,'' he said.

  ``Nobody would have time to meddle in politics, no time to drink whisky.
  Officers, for instance, have to keep themselves physically fit or risk
  failing tests under the programme to reduce the size of the Armed Forces,''
  he said.

  ``And indeed none of our military leaders want to intervene in politics
  because the rank and file want their superiors to take care of military
  affairs.

  ``Some blame the military for coups while others say it's because of some
  politician's own misconduct. It's useless to blame each other. Instead, both
  of us should try to do our own jobs to the best of our abilities,'' he
  added.

  Surayudh said that the military was happy and comfortable with Prime
  Minister Chuan Leekpai.

  He refused to comment on who should be the next defence minister, saying
  that the politicians now had the mandate to decide the issue.

  However, he said that while the democratic system must be adhered to, good
  people were also needed, particularly when the system was not strong enough.

  ``I am confident that many politicians I know have the sincere intention to
  strengthen the stability of the political system,'' he said.

  Another factor that can help smooth relations between the government and the
  military and support the correct development of the Armed Forces was for the
  public to see the military not as a political organization.

  ``Political comments by officers should be treated as their individual views
  and not the opinions of the Armned Forces, the same way ordinary citizens
  express their political views.

  ``In the Armed Forces, we are increasingly acknowledging that political
  views belong to individuals, and their rights have to be respected.

  ``For instance, who I vote for in an election could be a different choice
  from that of my subordinates and I respect their rights,'' Surayudh said.
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