“Phumtham” is confident that the military reshuffle will not cause the army to rift, insists on appointing a new NSC secretary-general, choosing the one that is appropriate for the situation. As for whether he is an insider or not, he points out that there are principles to consider.
Mr. Phumtham Vejjayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, gave an interview about the royal decree granting military ranks to generals. When the names were listed, could it be confirmed that they would coexist without conflict? He said that he believed that most of us who came to work had the goal of working for the country. If asked if it would be perfect, he had to admit that it was not perfect because everyone’s views, opinions, and thoughts were different.
“I believe that nothing can destroy disunity in the army. I have talked to both old and new commanders of the armed forces, and everyone is united, can talk to each other and understand each other, and everyone has a goal. The country’s problems are the ma
in focus. I can confirm this because I have talked to them myself. As for the process, we have to help each other to see how it will work out. If we start with respect and believe in what each side thinks, I believe that every problem can be solved,” said Mr. Phumtham.
As for the list of military officers, are you relieved now? Mr. Phumtham said that he is relieved, there are no problems. Once he has made a decision, he is relieved and will proceed according to his thoughts.
When asked how the southern border peace talks will proceed from now on, and whether there will need to be a change in the negotiating team, Mr. Phumtham said that in the past, the talks had to stop because there was a change in government, and there was still no clarity on what the solution would be.
As for whether the discussions are related to the new Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), Mr. Phumtham said that everything is connected, but we have to look at the details to see how much and how. At the moment, it
is a matter of appointments and transfers that are being carried out to meet the time frame of September 30. As for how to choose the Secretary-General of the NSC, we have to choose the person who is most suitable for the current situation.
When asked if there was news in the NCPO that the new secretary would be a policeman, Mr. Phumtham said that it was all rumors. He had not thought about it yet. He had only read various opinions and thought that it would likely be someone in the NCPO. He would do his best to show all parties that he had principles for considering the appointment of the NCPO secretary.
Source: Thai News Agency