Seh Ai: Government must go | Bangkok Post: news

Seh Ai: Government must go

There will definitely be another major anti-government rally aimed at bringing down the government by the end of November and up to one million people could be involved, Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit said on Wednesday.


Anti-government protest groups turn up in force at the Royal Turf Club on Oct 28, 2012. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)

Gen Boonlert, chairman of the Pitak Siam group, declined to comment on whether he would lead the protesters in a march to lay siege to Government House. He did not give a date for the rally, saying only that it would be in late November.

"Whoever wants to know how we will bring down the government and whether we will march to Government House should come and join our rally to see how things develop," said Gen Boonlert, also known as Seh Ai.

"If the people turn out in large numbers, we will go right to see the government and apply pressure on it. I want to know whether soldiers or police would dare to shoot the people, whether the red-shirts will come out, whether Thais will kill each other because of [fugitive former prime minister] Thaksin Shinawatra," he said.

He said between 900,000 and one million people would be needed in order to oust the government.

If the anti-government protesters turn out en masse and march from the Royal Turf Club, they would be well protected.

If people of a third-hand party were to show up, they could only be supporters of the government or Thaksin, he said.

Gen Boonlert said that by leading the people's rally he was not worried whether the red-shirts would file a lawsuit accusing him of inciting rebellion because "a coup is the only way to topple the government".

"If I had military power in hand, I would have staged a coup. I am now waiting to see how Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army chief, will react to my call. I am still confident he has not changed his stand or sided with the government.

"If a coup did take place, an interim government would be set up. If this was not acceptable to other countries, we could close the country. I don't know for how many years, but the closure should remain until all the bad politicians have been driven away. I have never seen a good politician. Soldiers are needed to take care of the country," Gen Boonlert said.

Asked who would be made prime minister if that happened, Gen Boonlert said there would be many suitable people for the post, but he would rather not name them.

"The most important thing to do first is to bring down the government. The people must help to accomplish this goal. Don't allow corruption to stay. It's no long tolerable," he said.

Gen Boonlert said he estimated the number of people at the anti-government on Oct 28 at the Royal Turf Club at 30,000, but the government's intelligence agencies put it around 7,000-8,000 to calm soldiers.

"I was very excited. I had never done anything like this in my life. But I had to do it to protect the high institution ... to topple the government. A large number of people showed up. They gave me the moral support needed to continue with this fight," said the 70-year-old retired general.

Gen Boonlert dismissed as untrue the red-shirts' speculation that Gen Surayud Chulanont - a privy councillor and chairman of the Royal Turf Club, and his classmate from Class 1 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School - was behind the Oct 28 rally.


Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

He said the rally was engineered by only a few people and Gen Surayud was not involved.

"I have to thank Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung for coming to lunch with me. It was like a public relations event, and it drew tens of thousands of people to the rally," Gen Boonlert added.

Army commander-in-chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha warned that soldiers taking part in political rallies could face disciplinary action even though they may have the right to do so.

"There are disciplinary regulations and soldiers must follow their commanders' instructions. If they commit a disciplinary offence they could be demoted or even discharged," the national army chief said.

He was replying to questions about the red-shirt supporters' plans to stage demonstrations to counter any further anti-government rallies led by the Pitak Siam group.

He said it would not be a problem if both sides gather peacefully and stay within the democratic framework.

Gen Prayuth urged the general public not to support any side that abuses the law.