Thai academic, Thirayuth, coup fears rejected

Thai academic, Thirayuth, coup fears rejected 

Leading academic Thirayuth Boonmi's conclusion that the ongoing political conflict could lead to another coup if allowed to continue unabated is wrong, because the military is now democracy-minded, Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said on Monday.

Mr Thirayuth, director of the Sanya Dhammasakti Foundation Foundation for Democracy at Thammasat University, made his prediction in an analysis of the current political situation published in the Bangkok Post.

Mr Yongyuth said he did not believe there would be another coup because soldiers these days were more inclined towards democracy.

He had made many trips in the company of Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha and he had learned that the army chief had never had any thoughts about staging a coup.

Gen Prayuth thought only about how the country could achieve peace and reconciliation and move forward, Mr Yongyuth said.

Asked about Mr Thirayuth's comment that former prime minister Thaksin Shinswatra is now one of the three most influential figures in the country since 1957, Mr Yongyuth said he knew only that the former prime minister was  loved by the people because he had done a lot for them.

The other two influential people mentioned by Mr Thirayuth are Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat and Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, both of them former prime ministers.

Asked if Thaksin would return to Thailand and again make changes in the country, Mr Yongyuth said Thailand does not need change, only continued development toward a full-fledged democracy.

He said Thaksin and former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's former brother in law, had often given him advice on various matters.

Mr Thirayuth was formerly secretary-general of the National Students Centre of Thailand (NSCT), which played an important political role leading to the Oct 14, 1973 student uprising.