The role and function of the army related to politics

[Spitfire]

Wasn't completely sure where to put this, but have a read of this if you want to learn something about the army here in LOS and it's function/purpose or what it does.

A long article but very enlightening and a good diagnosis, good read for all, even for the experienced.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... ot-to-bite

[margaretcarnes]

A very interesting take on what to me seems to be an ongoing 'balance of power' situation in the LOS.
It would be even more interesting to know when, where, and why the Armed Forces began to acquire land and radio frequencies for example. Certainly the acquisition of land may well go back many decades. Perhaps to the turn of the 1900s when forests were being increasingly managed by farang, and before any ruling monarch had even travelled up country to the major forested areas.
Would that indicate a potential for dividing the country at that time?

As for acquiring radio frequencies - again perhaps this goes back years as well. Control of even a part of the media usually suggests a military regime.

So why does the military continue to hang on to these (now very valuable) assets? Of course there is bound to be an element of 'loss of face' if it were forced to relinquish assets to the State - or to the Crown even. As the article points out there is income and profit sharing from the assets - again not an easy thing to give up. There will be the status factor too, no doubt especially for those high ranking officers who see politics as their goal.

Overall it seems to me at least that the military wants to maintain a position from which it could be ready to move to the next stage if you get my drift.

[The understudy]

Hi there Margeret.

One point in this very interesting article mentioned that Business hire high ranking Officers as their advisors but not only as advisors also as tool to intimidate for would be competition to bring products from doreign firms to Thailand.
My uncle had made One bad experience with such practices before. in the early 90's he wanted to diversify his Business and he had the Idea to import and later on produce Skoda Cars, A Chzech Car Company a daughter Company of Volkswagen PLC. into Thailand. But when another group who had the same ambition got Wind of my uncles endeavors The CEO form that group let his army connections come into play. One morning my uncle was alerted by the security guards at the entrance gate to his Companies HQ was surrounded by a Battalion of soldiers armed to the teeth and preventing employers to enter the building. by Noon the other group's CEO was Phoning my uncle and set an ultimatum for him to withdraw his bid for Skoda or face consequences which means soldiers would not withdraw from his HQ plus he can kiss his current business goodbye. Well he had no options but to withdraw. As you can expect this event was not in the News not even BKK Post or The Nation and all employers know years afterwards what the heck happened that fateful day in the early 90's.
ANd the moral of tihs real story was. Always check which party is also interested to bring a foreign Brand into Thailand and make background checks who is backing this group or party? if it's the Armed forces Whatever it's branch Hands Off!!! Your playing with the big Boys now! it's not certain you win.

Your's the understudy!!!

[Spitfire]

Understudy and Margaret, guess old habits are hard to break, not to mention that in entrenched institutions, such as the like mentioned, it's just taboo to suggest anything else, would have thought there is zero latitude for anything other than the status quo, a turf thing, so to speak.

Why rock the boat?

Sorry Margaret, but that answers nothing you raised really, might imply a little.

[STEVE G]

As for acquiring radio frequencies - again perhaps this goes back years as well. Control of even a part of the media usually suggests a military regime.

This problem exists in many countries, including in the West.
Back fifty odd years ago when things like radar and aerial navigation aids were being developed by the military, they were allocated whole swathes of radio waves that no one else had much use for in those days as commercial radio used much lower frequencies.
Now with communication being such a huge industry, these frequency bands are much in demand.

[margaretcarnes]

That makes sense Steve. Because to be honest the BP article seems to just present a list of 'reasons' connected by another list of 'howevers' which is interesting in itself in its' pussyfooting attempt to explain how the role and function of the army relate to politics. But it stops short of delving any further back than 73 and comes across more as a 'this is how it is - we think' article rather than 'this is how it started'
Like other things Thai history wise it's probably not deemed suitable for mass consumption - as Spitfire implies.
It's a shame because over the last 3 or 4 years some BP journalists have become much more open - often critical - in their opinions on matters such as the abortion debate. I suppose it has to start somewhere...