Army denies Krungthep Thurakij’s report of its criticism of Yingluck government

The Army’s Public Relations Centre has sent a letter to Krungthep Thurakij newspaper, denying a news report that the army was critical of the government’s performance in solving the flood problems.

In the report published by the Nation Group’s Krungthep Thurakij and Kom Chad Luek on 7 Nov, a ‘high-level source at the army’ was quoted as saying that high-level military officers had discussed the leadership of the Prime Minister and agreed that she was indecisive in handling the flood problems, and as a result, brought the country into crisis.

The source listed 12 points of failure of the Yingluck government which, he claimed, had been concluded by the high-ranking military officers.

He reportedly said that although the army saw the shortcomings and criticized the PM’s performance, the Pheu Thai Party and the red shirts did not have to worry that the military would stage a coup, because under these circumstances the army had to choose to help the people first, and, importantly, Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha had repeatedly affirmed that the army would not stage a coup.

The army’s letter, which was dated 7 Nov and signed by Maj Gen Pholphat Wannaphak, Head of the Army’s Public Relations Centre, said that the report, which had cited the personal opinion of an unnamed military officer, might mislead the readers into thinking that the army had discussed the issue, but in fact it had never done so.

The letter insisted that the army was part of the government structure and followed the government’s policy particularly in helping people who were currently affected by the floods.    

During the current circumstances in which the country needs unity and common understanding to get through the crisis, the media needs to present news which is accurate and verifiable in terms of its sources, the letter said.

The letter asked Krungthep Thurakij to correct the news report and present the correct version to the public.

Both newspapers have already retracted the reports from their websites, and the links to the reports are now dead.

In the Kom Chad Luek version and another Krungthep Thurakij report, it was also reported that members of the group of 111 banned former Thai Rak Thai Party politicians were dissatisfied with the poor performance of the government regarding the handling of the flood situation, and wanted to replace the Prime Minister with either Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung or Minister of Justice Pol Gen Pracha Phromnok, who is currently Head of the Flood Relief Operations Command.

Former Deputy Secretary General Phumtham Vechayachai and former Acting Leader Chaturon Chaisang of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party denied the reports through Twitter messages.

Phumtham said that the news reports only referred to ‘source(s)’ in the group of 111 banned politicians but did not name any names, so this was unfounded.

He had met or talked to several of them on the phone in the previous couple of weeks, and no one had ever expressed anything like what was in the reports, he said.

Chaturon said that the reporting was an attempt to drive a wedge between the government and the army, and between the Prime Minister and his group.

‘A certain media group has been adept at fabricating stories, as it was when the Thai Rak Thai government was overthrown.  […]  The media ferociously attacking the government are the same as those which helped bring down the Thai Rak Thai government, working with the same old networks including the Democrat Party,’ he said.

‘I’m not saying that the opposition should not criticize or scrutinize the government, or that the media should not present news for the benefit of the public.  But the way that the opposition makes everything an issue that has to lead to a change of government or Prime Minister seems too simple and selfish.  The media definitely have the right to attack the government, but they should be ethical in presenting news, not fabricating stories.

‘I’m not defending the government and not saying that this government is excellent.  I’m just saying that certain news reports are not true.  Those who want to criticize or advise the government about solving the flood problems are entitled to do so, and I think the government should give them a hearing,’ he said.

Source: 
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