Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 15 Dec 1992 08:44:07 EST
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: General warns pols about abusive remarks

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 23:26:01+0700
From: Kamol Hengkietisak <kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th>


DEPUTY Army Chief Gen Salya Sripen yesterday warned politicians to
watch their mouths, saying that some of them had trampled on the
military by making abusive remarks.

"I feel that the military has been trampled on. We will tolerate
it to a certain extent only," Gen Salya said.

He said a certain politician, while commenting on the Thai-Burmese
dispute over Hill 491 in Chumphon's Tha Sae District, had said
that "waging war was the affair of beasts."

"This could be interpreted to mean that he said that all soldiers
who have operated in a battlefield are beasts. Doesn't he realise
that in the past soldiers fought for the country?

"I think politicians should be cautious when commenting on issues.
We soldiers also have hearts," Gen Salya said.

Although the Deputy Army Chief did not mention the politician by
name, he apparently referred to Deputy Finance Minister Trairong
Suwannakhiri of the Democrat Party, who at the height of the
dispute over Hill 491 some two weeks ago reportedly said "only
beasts wanted to wage war".

Gen Salya, however, said he did not mean to say that all
politicians are abusive.

"Not all of them are aggressive like that. Most of them understand
us well, but some of them should be more cautious before saying
anything," he said.

Gen Salya gave the interview after presiding over the opening of a
seminar of about 100 army officers responsible for public
relations work.

Several guest speakers were invited to the seminar, including
well-known television personalities Dr Chermsak Pinthong, Dr
Somkiat Onvimol and Suthichai Yoon.

Gen Salya said army public relations personnel need advice because
they have not studied in the fields of public relations or
journalism.

He said since any movement of the Army is important to the morale
of the people and their confidence in the country's stability, it
is necessary for the Army to have an image that gives the people
confidence and security.

"The Army is required to modernise its methods of giving
information to the public. We can't afford to stay idle. We have
to improve our public relations work by correcting the attitude of
our public relations personnel," Gen Salya said.

He reaffirmed that all military personnel have distanced
themselves from politics.

"So we have tried to remain calm despite criticism," Gen Salya
said.

Meanwhile, Palang Dharma MP Krasae Chanawong said that the comment
of Gen Salya was a good one because it will warn politicians to be
careful about what they say because soldiers have a limitation to
their patience.

He said that he thought soliders can comment on politics because
if they did so within the limit of a civil servant then it could
also benefit the people. It was not possible to forbid soldiers to
comment on politics because now politics was involved with all the
affairs of the military.

Politicians should not look down on ciil servants and whatever
they say should have some mind to it and bear in mind the business
of the country. They should also speak only positively and this is
especially so if they were now ministers in charge civil servants.

He said that most of the people in the Government measured their
words when they mention the military and only some did not and
they should not be taken too seriously.

Dr Krasae said that it was a comment of one man and no
institutions should be dragged in.
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