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Chettha embracing a political caree
- Subject: Chettha embracing a political caree
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 20:11:00
Subject: Chettha embracing a political career
October 25, 1998
Chettha embracing a political career
Why has Gen Chettha Thanajaro, who once held the most powerful
Army post, settled for an Interior post many deem below his honour
and dignity? Or has the former military strongman been duped by
experienced politicians? political magazines asked.
The unblemished former Army chief shouldn't have settled for an aide
to Maj-Gen Sanan Kachornprasart, deputy prime minister and also
Interior chief, said Siam Rath.
Gen Chettha wasn't shy admitting he was at first wary of politics. "I
once said to myself politics wasn't for me, and that I wouldn't be able
to cope with experienced and well-trained politicians," the weekly
quoted the former Army boss as saying.
Speculation was ripe that Pol Lt-Col Thaksin Shinawatra was
prepared to make the general his Thai Rak Thai deputy leader. On the
other hand, the Democrat Party was wooing him.
"I have a long experience in drug suppression", he said. "Being an
assistant to Maj-Gen Sanan doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to join
the Democrats."
But it is now certain the former Army chief is embracing a political
career. He has just resigned as chairman of the Thai Military Bank's
board of directors, sacrificing 10 million baht annually in salary.
"Banking and politics are incompatible. So I've stepped down as
chairman of the board," Siam Rath quoted him as saying, adding the
top general is no longer at the helm of the Olympic Committee of
Thailand.
Like Gen Wattanachai Wuthisiri, Gen Chettha may have learnt the
hard way it takes time to grow in the Democrat hierarchical ladder of
success. Or perhaps the knowledgeable general is testing the waters
before deciding to formally join a political party to pursue his political
goals, the weekly theorised.
Should Gen Wattanachai decide against quitting politics as he once
threatened to do, Gen Chettha would probably be destined for the
deputy defence post.
"The former army chief has fallen from heaven," Than Weekly Review
bluntly put it in its lead story.
But with the Democrat leader doubling as premier and Defence chief,
it would become increasingly true that the coveted military post would
continue to be used to lure prospective candidates for the party list in a
fast approaching general election.
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© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1998
Last Modified: Sun, Oct 25, 1998
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