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Yingluck confident no coup against her
December 13, 2011 6:37 pm
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Wednesday voiced confidence in the mutual trust between her government and the military, ruling out concern about being ousted by a coup like her brother Thaksin.
"I have confident in myself for striving to serve the public and no one should speculate on my ending because only the people could be the judge," she said.
Yingluck talked to reporters following her introductory visit to the Supreme Command headquarters.
Army chief to stay in post: Yingluck
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has confirmed that army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha will not be transferred.
"Since I assumed the premiership, I have never interfered in military affairs. Gen Prayuth is still performing his duty [as army chief]," Ms Yingluck said when asked by reporters if she wanted to retain him as army commander-in-chief.
The prime minister yesterday visited the Internal Security Operations Command and the army. She was warmly greeted by the top brass before chairing the Isoc meeting as director of the agency and was briefed about its work.
She asked the Isoc to strictly adhere to His Majesty the King's working approach of understanding (khao jai), accessibility (khao thueng), and development (pattana) in carrying out its duties in the far South.
She said she would assign Pol Gen Kowit Wattana, deputy prime minister, to chair the Isoc's board.
Ms Yingluck vowed to foster national reconciliation. She called for cooperation from all of society to help push for reconciliation in a bid to restore peace. She thanked the army for its flood relief work.
During the meeting, Gen Prayuth said the army stands ready to serve the government around the clock.
A low-ranking former policeman was sentenced to 38 years in prison on a charge of terrorism by the the Criminal Court on Monday in connection with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on the Defence Ministry on March 20 last year.
He is the first person to be convicted and imprisoned for terrorism in connection with the violence in Bangkok last year during the red-shirt protests.
Early this year, two defendants on terrorism charges were acquitted by Samut Prakan Court.
This morning, the Criminal Court convicted and sentenced former Police Lance-Corporal Bundit Sithithum, 44, to 20 years in prison under article 135 of the Criminal Code for terrorism and article 83 for collaborating in a crime; two years for colluding in using fake car plates; five years for illegally possessing RPG launchers; five years for illegal possession of bombs; five years for illegally being in possession of machineguns; and one year for carrying illicit weapons in public areas.
He was acquiited on charges of forging car plates and of supporting the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in waging terrorist acts.
The court ruled the prosecution failed to present convincing evidence on these charges.
Bundit's lawyer Jan Kaonoi said his client would seek bail and file an appeal within the 30-day limit.
Mr Jan said there were argumentative points for the higher court - including dubious release of the exhibit (a pick-up truck) before the investigation was completed, and decision not to try another suspect Suphanat Hoonlawet who was arrested prior to his client.
There were also a few issues concerning the trial procedures. He claimed the prosecution produced weak witnesses to frame his client. Mr Jan said two female witnesses told the court that they saw Bundit near the scene where RPG rockets hit power poles at the Defence Ministry. One person was wounded.
One prosecution witnesses, Pol Lt Col Panithan Wayanond, had admitted that the two witnesses were prostitutes working in the area, the defence lawyer said.
Another female prosecution witness sat in the courtroom during while other witnesses were giving testimony. This was against the Criminal Procedures Code, Mr Jan said.
Bundit, speaking from the court basement behind bars, said he was disheartened amf said he alone was the scapegoat in this case.
“They did not take on Suphanat and they did not listen to witness from my side, who said that I was not there and that the CCTV could not verify I was at the crime scene,” he said.
The former police lance corporal, whose last position was at Wang Nam Yen police station in Sa Kaeo province, said he was worried that there would be no one helping him get bail, as this would certainly require several million baht.
He said he confessed during the investigation that he was involved since he was threatened that if he did not speak he would be handed over to the military. He said he covered his head while being transported from Chonburi on April 2010.
“I happened to be a classmate of Pol Lt Col Supachai Phuikaewkham from Chonburi Police Private School and happened to know some of the people related to the (involved) pick-up truck. But I will talk to Arisman (Pongruangrong), if he will help me,” said Bundit.
Bundit said that he was acquaintance of Pol Lt Col Supachai’s wife Jureeporn Sindhuprai, who was a core member of a red-shirt faction in Pattaya and a younger sister of UDD core leader Nisit Sindhuprai.
Right after the arrest, the Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit said Bundit confessed that he was hired to sabotage key public sites.
The court room was packed for the reading of the verdict.
Bundit said when the verdict was read out he felt numb, attributing this to the coldness of the court's airconditioning, but once returned to the cell in the court basement he recollected the scene and he believed he was not treated fairly.
“In the room, former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was also there. Now, if I lose my court appeal I will think that it is in fact Mr Abhisit who should be punished for ordering the April-May 2010 crackdown, not me,” Bundit said.
