Thai military focuses on economy as media and protesters warned
Print Edition
THAILAND’S military tightened its grip on power yesterday as it moved to quell growing protests, saying anyone violating its orders would be tried in military court.
It also took its first steps to revitalize a battered economy, saying nearly a million farmers were owed money under the previous government’s failed rice-subsidy scheme. Farmers are owed more than US$2.5 billion. A military spokesman said it was hoped farmers would begin to get paid in one or two days and every farmer would be paid in a month.
A military official also told 18 newspaper bosses that King Bhumibol Adulyadej would today endorse General Prayuth Chan-ocha as leader of the ruling military council, a significant formality in a country where the monarchy is the most important institution.
The military overthrew the government on Thursday after months of debilitating and at times violent confrontation between the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the royalist establishment.
Critics say the coup will not end the conflict between the rival power networks: the Bangkok-based elite dominated by the military, old money families and the bureaucracy, and an upstart clique led by Yingluck’s brother and former telecommunication mogul Thaksin Shinawatra. The Shinawatras draw much of their influence from the provinces.
The military has detained numerous people including Yingluck and many of her ministers, party officials and supporters.
The military has thrown out the constitution, censored the media and dismissed the upper house Senate, Thailand’s last functioning legislature. It said anyone accused of insulting the monarchy or violating its orders would face military court.
The military’s priorities appeared to be stamping out dissent and tending to the economy. An army spokesman warned against protests and told the media to be careful in its reporting too.
“For those who use social media to provoke, please stop because it’s not good for anyone,” deputy army spokesman Winthai Suvaree said in a televised statement.
Despite the warnings, a small crowd of protesters, some holding handwritten signs such as “Anti the Coup” and “Get out Dictators,” formed outside a central shopping center in the morning and grew through the day.
Hundreds of soldiers, most with riot shields, lined up to contain the crowd and there was some shouting and pushing and at least two people were detained.
By late afternoon about 1,000 people had gathered at a central city hub.
The military held meetings yesterday with the leaders of state and private commercial organizations, senior officials of the commerce, finance ministries and business leaders. Officials from the energy ministry, oil trade and transport companies were also summoned.
“The economy needs to recover. If there is something wrong, we have to find quick solutions,” Thawatchai Yongkittikul, secretary general of the Thai Bankers’ Association, said, citing coup leader Prayuth.
“The burning issues that need to be solved are the rice-buying scheme and the budget plan for the 2015 fiscal year.”
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