POLITICS VISIT TO PREM'S RESIDENCE : Chavalit 'to stop haranguing CNS'

POLITICS VISIT TO PREM'S RESIDENCE : Chavalit 'to stop haranguing CNS'

WASSANA NANUAM

Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has reportedly promised to stop criticising the Council for National Security (CNS) after visiting Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda yesterday. Gen Chavalit, accompanied by his close aide Lt-Gen Chavaengsak Thongsa-luay, visited Gen Prem at his Sisao Theves residence.

The visit came amid speculation that Gen Chavalit wanted to clear himself over alleged involvement in the New Year bombings that rocked the capital and mend his rift with leading members of the CNS.

Gen Prem has reportedly made attempts over the past week or so to mend a rift between the former prime minister and the CNS.

Gen Chavalit, who appeared in good spirits after his one-hour meeting with Gen Prem, refused to talk to the press. However, a source said he promised the Privy Council president that he would stop attacking the CNS.

An informed source said that aside from the New Year bomb attacks in Bangkok, divisions within the military and the ongoing insurgency in the South were also on the agenda of yesterday's discussion.

Vice-Admiral Pachun Tampratheep, Gen Prem's secretary, also dismissed speculation that the elder statesman might have tried to interfere in the next cabinet reshuffle, saying the Privy Council president had never played a part in a cabinet reshuffle.

Meanwhile, CNS chairman and army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin yesterday ordered the restructured Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) to tackle threats to the public safety.

Speaking at the Isoc's general assembly, Gen Sonthi, also director of the Isoc, instructed the agency to be prepared for a new form of threat aside from the southern unrest, drug smuggling and other unlawful activities.

He labelled arson attacks on schools and bomb attacks as terrorist acts.

''School arson attacks and bombings are terrorist acts which pose a threat to national security,'' said Gen Sonthi.

Such new threats were complicated and had no patterns, he said, citing the New Year bombings in Bangkok.

He also asked the Isoc to heal political divisions in the country, create more intelligence networks and strengthen communities.

Over 300,000 community members have now formed intelligence networks with the Isoc. The agency has also strengthened security measures for 1,924 villages across the country.

Bangkok Post
Friday January 12, 2007