Army challenged to give 'no coup guarantee'

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Pheu Thai party-list MP Jatuporn Prompan has challenged national army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha to make a public announcement that the army will not stage a coup in April, and said there will be a red-shirt rally this month.

"I've received the report of a coup from an army official who took part in the military crackdown on red-shirt protesters in April 2010, and it matches with another report from US intelligence," Mr Jatuporn said on Thursday.

Asked about a report that Gen Prayuth plans to legal action against him for making the coup claim, the red-shirt core member challenged the general to officially declare there will be no coup as long as he is in charge of the army.

"If Gen Prayuth can turn down anyone's proposal to carry out a coup, I'll praise him," he said.

Mr Jatuporn said he would like to thank Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat for his advice on not talking about a coup.

The minister advised him to cease his comments.

"I would like ACM Sukumpol to help prevent another coup from happening, like the one on Sept 19, 2006," he said.

On the red-shirt's planned gathering on Feb 25, he said the anti-coup rally will be held at Bonanza resort in Khao Yai area of Nakhon Ratchasima province.

"I expect at least 500,000 people to show up and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will speak from abroad via a video link at the rally," said Mr Jatuporn.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today played down Mr Jatuporn's coup claim and his call for supporters of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship to prepare for a mass protest.

She said it was more likely that Mr Jatuporn's comments were intended only as a deterrent.

Ms Yingluck said she had not received any official report of the information Mr Jatuporn claimed to have obtained about a coup in the making.

She said that since the leaders of the armed forces had repeatedly confirmed there would not be a coup, everybody should rest assured that it would not happen.

"Mr Jatuporn, in making such remarks, might only want to pre-empt it happening. Since everyone has given assurances that will not happen, this matter should be put to an end," said the prime minister.

Asked whether she would rebuke Mr Jatuporn, Ms Yingluck said everybody had the right to express an opinion, but should understand the limits.

Defence Minister Sukumpol, when asked to comment, said Mr Jatuporn should keep quiet.

"Mr Jatuporn talks too much. He should not talk about this matter. It would be good if he could stop doing this," he said.

ACM Sukumpol said if he happened to meet Mr Jatuporn he would tell the red-shirt co-leader to calm down. He believed Mr Jatuporn would listen to him.

"I wonder why US intelligence would tell Mr Jatuporn (about the coup), but not tell us. This is ridiculous," he said.

The defence minister said he had repeatedly said there would not be a coup because nobody wanted to do it.

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Edited February 9, 2012 by FarangFarang

[FarangFarang]

No coup, guaranteed. Or your next one is free!

[FarangFarang]

Chalerm, Sukhumpol: No coup

Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat on Friday rejected the claims of red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan that the military is planning another takeover, insisting that there will not be another coup.

ACM Sukumpol said he would ensure the public is informed if there is any report of a possible military coup.

"There is no problem among the soldiers, and they do not have problem with the coup remarks made by Mr Jatuporn," he said.

Asked whether Mr Jatuporn's comments could affect national security and lead to mass street protests by the red-shirts, the minister said the media should not give importance to this issue.

He urged reporters to stop asking questions about a possible coup.

ACM Sukumpol said he was certain the coup rumour stoked by Pheu Thai list-MP Jatuporn would not have any effect on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said there will be no coup because army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha had repeatedly affirmed that no-one had any thought of staging a military takeover.

"Gen Prayuth is a resident of Bang Khun Thian and the people in this district are reliable. He is a sportsman and he would do what he said. He does not have to guarantee that there will be no coup," he said.

Mr Chalerm, who oversees the Royal Thai Police, said police, the National Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council had received no reports of a possible coup.

However, he would not ask Mr Jatuporn, a government list MP and co-leader of the red-shirt United front for Democracy against Dictatorship, to stop talking about coup because he works for the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

The deputy prime minister said he would not comment on Mr Jatuporn's claim that he had information from US intelligence that there was a coup planned for April because he had no such information.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/279239/chalerm-sukhumpol-no-coup