By Max Constant
BANGKOK
Thailand’s junta chief-cum-prime minister has insisted that last year’s coup was his decision, refuting allegations by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra – overthrown in 2006 - that the putsch was ordered by the king’s privy councilors, local media reported Saturday.
“I made my own decision. I risked my life leading the coup. No one ordered me,” the Bangkok Post quoted General Prayuth Chan-ocha as saying. “Even my family knew nothing about it.”
The military seized power May 22 last year, overthrowing the elected government of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra – Thaksin’s younger sister.
“At the time, the country and the people were in grave danger so I decided to stage the coup on that day, because the country was in an impossible situation,” Chan-ocha said.
Earlier this week, Thaksin – the Shinawatra political clan’s leader who served as premier from 2001-Sep. 2006 - had told South Korean daily Chosun Ilbo that King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s privy councilors had ordered the military to stage the May coup.
“The armed forces listen to privy councilors. When they did not want us to stay in power, they ordered Suthep to come out and ordered the armed forces to help him,” he said, referring to a former anti-Thaksin MP.
Suthep Thaugsuban had led massive anti-government demonstrations that paralyzed Bangkok from Oct. 2013 until the overthrow of Yingluck’s government.
“Thai soldiers seem to like Myanmar-style democracy,” Thaksin said in the interview, alluding to the military regime in the neighboring country that lasted from 1962- 2011.
A video clip of the interview has been widely shared on Thai social networks since Thursday.
Chan-ocha has called on the Thai people to ignore Thaksin’s comments.
“It is typical of him. Pay no attention to whatever he says,” Chan-ocha said.
Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a military government deputy-spokesman, told local media Friday that Thaksin’s allegations were “baseless” and “irresponsible.”
“The former prime minister likes to see himself as the center of the universe and see other people as opponents, without considering the fact that throughout his tenure, there was corruption, abuse of power and creation of unprecedented divisions in Thailand,” Kaewkamnerd said.
“He should not use his opportunity to be in foreign countries to talk irresponsibly,” he added.
After the 2006 coup, Thaksin was sentenced in 2008 to two-years imprisonment for abuse of power in a land purchase conducted by his wife.
He had left Thailand a few weeks before the judgment and has remained in exile since then.
His sister -- who has been retroactively impeached -- now also faces charges of negligence and abuse of power over a loss-ridden rice-subsidies scheme.
