ASEAN Defense: “Witch Hunt” for Water-Mellon soldiers to cover whole of Thailand military establishment

/ July 16, 2011
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  • By Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist

What to do with “Water Mellon?” Outside it is green, the color of the military, but inside it is red, the color of democracy, liberty and justice-in Thailand.

For years, Thailand’s privy council, Prem (picture above) have been engineering the Thai military-to be as hawkish and anti-democracy, liberty and justice-as much as possible.

But the results of the recent election, in military strong districts, points to a failure-as the Pheu Thai Party that is close to the Red Shirts have won practically, all over Thailand where the military is strong.

Even before the election results, the Thai military, under Prayuth, have been conducting a “Witch Hunt” for these soldiers who sympathizes with the Red Shirts-freezing and moving 1,000s upon 1,000s of soldiers into non-lethal weapons commanding posts-stopping short of firing them from the Thai military.

The question to ask, is where have they gone-these red shirts soldiers?

Some say that they have joined a major segment in the Thai military that have nothing to do with Water Mellon-but has been competing with Prem’s Prayuth segment that rose to power rapidly in the Thai military.

This other major segment, that has competed with the rise of the Prem backed Prayuth-has been denied important promotions for about 10 – 15 years now. But they exists throughout the Thai military in senior positions-with many arguing, that they have been sinking in deep roots. Yet there have been some indications and speculations, that this segment and Prayuth have cut a deal.

What ever the case, but apparently, Prayuth have failed in his past “Witch Hunt” as his order for soldiers to vote for the Democrat Party-have failed to registered.

For example, in the recent election, in the Dusit MP district, where it is filled with military bases with 1,000s upon 1,000s of conscript who were ordered to vote for the Democrat Party MP candidate-that Democrat Party MP candidate failed to win the district and the Pheu Thai Party that is close to the Red Shirts won.

  • Rumors since then, is that Prayuth has ordered a screening of all the military bases in the Dusit district, to see what went wrong-and to identify the “Water Mellon” soldiers in the Dusit district-which is the heart of the Thai military force concentration in Bangkok-meaning, a major strong-hold of the Thai military, under Prayuth, over Bangkok.
Thai Intel source told Thai Intel today the following:

“They are taking in every ranking soldiers and questioning them who they voted for…..I told them I voted for the Democrat Party and was cleared……..But like most everyone else, I lied to the investigator………It was clear if I told them I voted for Pheu Thai Party, my career would be over……..But the consensus in the Dusit area bases that I am stationed, is that the choice is between continuing the internal conflict by voting for the Democrat Party or peace with the Pheu Thai Party…….Me and most of my friends decided that peace is better,” said Thai Intel’s source, a high ranking military officer in the Dusit district.

Asked, if the same thing is spreading through-out Thailand, since there are many other district all over Thailand, that have also saw the Pheu Thai Party win, the source said, quote:

“It is going on throughout Thailand and it is clear to us now that the spirit of the democratic soldiers is much stronger than Prayuth had anticipated……Wherever Prayuth looks, all he is seeing now is democratic soldiers……..He must be feeling isolated at this point to see that so many have rejected the internal conflict rationale.”

Thailand’s new government is in the process of being formed, with some who subscribe to the conspiracy theory, saying the establishment, to which Prayuth, is a central point, is waging a counter-attack-by the potential of disqualifying Red Shirts leaders and Yingluck-from MPs seats.

Indeed, Prayuth broke weeks of silence on Thai politics, perhaps, laughing at Yingluck, that she should come and see him, after the election unit approved her MP status. Prayuth also made comments on the future Minister of Defense.

Super-imposing on that picture, is the future Thai Defense Minister-where a poll today, says about 70% of Thais want a high-ranking soldier to hold the post-with about 25% saying they want to military to protect the monarchy and another 25% said they want the military to protect Thai sovereignty.

There are many speculation going on, as to the future Defense Minister-with the contenders, between a former Thai air force or a Thai navy as candidates-perhaps linking to the air and sea threat of Thailand from externalities. The post relates to the future defense spending, as Thailand is split between building up its air force or navy to dominate the ASEAN region.

Left out of the entire equation, of the major cliques in the Thai military, the democratic soldiers and the hawks, and the issue about the future direction of the Thai military development-is clearly, the “Independent” professional soldiers.

Thai Intel received some indication from this group, through contacts, since early after the election, that they have very much “Re-Aligned” themselves to the new political reality of Thailand. One such source, told Thai Intel, quote:

“The military, by professional definition, exists under the political process…..We can be ordered to do anything by our commanders, but under it all, we are professionals who takes order from the “Right-full” political process……There is a great deal of conflict in the thinking process in the Thai military…….But in the final analysis, the Thai military needs to find a way to unite as one to better be in position to protect Thailand’s interest.”

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