SONTHI: WE HAVE THE POWER AND ARE READY TO ACT

SONTHI: WE HAVE THE POWER AND ARE READY TO ACT.

CNS chief certain old power clique, not southern rebels, behind New Year bombings and other subversive activities.

Out of his almost four months in power, the New Year bombings in Bangkok and in Nonthaburi were probably the most challenging of times for Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, the man who led the Sept 19 coup d'etat to topple the Thaksin Shinawatra administration. The spate of violence in the capital and neighbouring Nonthaburi has drawn the Council for National Security's attention to the urgency of enforcing harsh measures against the ''old power clique'', the group they believe is responsible for the ''undercurrent'' activities around the country and the New Year blasts.

Gen Sonthi, the CNS chairman, talked to Bangkok Post editors in a recent exclusive interview on his theory about who was behind the blasts and how the CNS plans to deal with the attackers.

Will it be necessary to issue any new laws to empower the CNS in your attempt to quell the old power clique?

We don't need to issue any new laws. We can exercise our power under martial law which is still in place. His Majesty the King hasn't endorsed the cabinet's proposal to lift martial law yet. More than 20 articles in martial law give soldiers powers we haven't exercised yet. And I've tried to avoid using this power. This is because we're adhering to the reconciliation principle, so we've tried to enforce just laws used in normal situations.

Which articles in martial law do you intend to enforce and when?

We'll do it soon. Martial law authorises the military to search premises, prohibit actions, seize items, evict people, and detain individuals for questioning.

Did the fact that the CNS has not yet enforced any stringent measures cause anti-coup groups to be over-confident? Even Noppadon Pattama [Thaksin Shinawatra's legal adviser] has come out to fearlessly criticise the CNS.

That is something we have to look at carefully. But we will have to assess the situation to see if the consequences of our measures turn out to be positive or negative. Then, we will do it more stringently. I believe the pressure will be relieved in four months.

What are the findings from security cameras' footage taken of the blast locations?

We watched them all. We'll summon the suspects in the footage for questioning. They are in the footage from cameras at Seacon Square. It's the same footage as that which Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has talked about.

How certain are you that the bombings in Bangkok have nothing to do with southern insurgents?

I'm more than 100% certain. There's no doubt. Even in the deep South, it's no longer easy for insurgents to perpetrate attacks. To do this kind of thing, the assailants must be very well acquainted with the areas where they want to plant bombs. My men still get lost in Bangkok.

They might have prepared for this several months in advance, mightn't they?

Impossible. We really believe that it's done by a group that has lost its [political] interests. The police have also changed their assumptions. Before, they thought southern insurgents could be responsible. Now, they've changed their minds.

It is said you got a tip-off before the bombings. What was this?

As I said earlier, the attacks could have involved hundreds of assailants. The operation covered a large area, so the information about the bombing plan had leaked out for some time. For this reason, the prime minister learned about it and issued an advance warning. To prevent further attacks, we're training staff in the business sector.

If we could have arrested them [the perpetrators] beforehand, could we have prevented the bombings?

Well, those people will keep changing their methods, just like the southern insurgents. One day, insurgent militants burnt a school, the next day they bombed another place. They have done it repeatedly. The Bangkok attackers copied the strategy of the southern insurgents, but they [the attackers] are not southern insurgents.

Do the military and police know who the attackers' leaders are?

The police have their own way of finding which group is responsible.

Have the police been cooperative?

I think so.

Why did the prime minister insist that the police chief will not be dismissed despite little progress in the bombing investigation?

We should give him time to work. Similar to the deep South, even in small communities, authorities have been unable to arrest anybody.

Those suspected to be behind the bombing in Bangkok are much smaller in number compared to the southern insurgent groups. Why can't the authorities arrest any of them?

The group isn't that small. Political canvassers are all around the country. People who have lost their [political] interests are all over the country.

Turning now to the arson attacks on Kamphaeng Phet schools, for example, do we know who the arsonists are?

There's a problem. If we arrest them and we can't find any witnesses, we will have to release them anyway. In short, we have to catch them red-handed.

Nam Yimyaem, chairman of the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC), said civil servants did not file complaints against corrupt politicians and so his committee couldn't take any action in the CTX [bomb scanner] case and the land scandal [related to Khunying Potjaman's land purchase].

This problem is solved and all relevant parties are assigned to perform their roles.

Did the Shin Corp share transaction case make staff at the Finance Ministry, the Bank of Thailand and the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF) refuse to give information to or file any complaints with the ASC?

The Finance Ministry has ordered all agencies in the ministry to be cooperative.

Have civil servants been reluctant to give the ASC information because they fear the old power clique will soon get back its political power?

I wouldn't put it as pessimistically as that. Thai people are rather too paranoid now. We don't know who are on which side. When the ASC get its hands on solid information, it's not inclined to share it with anybody. It tries to do everything carefully. All Thais should be cautious about whatever they think or whatever they want to say as well.

Are you afraid that after Mr Thaksin returns to Thailand, he will try to take revenge against family members and subordinates of the CNS, and the armed forces?

No, I'm not. My children are all grown up. They can take care of themselves. As for the armed forces, he can't do anything. I'll make the armed forces strong. One of my policies is to strengthen and unite the armed forces. Some members of the pre-cadet school class 10 [classmates of Mr Thaksin at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School] are also on my side.

As for the lawsuits against Mr Thaksin, does the former prime minister need to appear before the court?

There are other ways. He may send in letters or talk through a video conference system. We'll use a similar method of communication as in the Constitution Tribunal. Even the Criminal Court could adopt the same approach. We don't want him to return yet as we have to give the utmost priority to restoring peace in the country.

Is there any chance of a counter-coup?

No way. Nobody can do it. It's just an idea floated by people out to split the CNS. They won't be able to do it anyway.

The old power clique has a lot of money. Could they hire junior military officers to stage a counter-coup for them?

No way. No group can do it, no matter how much money they have.

Are you worried about possible sabotage on Children's Day?

We'll do our best. I think the New Year's Eve assailants are now more cautious. They know they have made several mistakes.

Bangkok Post
Thursday January 11, 2007