Army Chief ‘not meeting Thaksin, Yingluck in Singapore’

ARMY Chief General Chalermchai Sittisart is flying to Singapore tomorrow just as former prime ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra are also visiting the island republic but flatly denied that he will be meeting them, the Thai-language daily Naew Na reported today (Feb 19).

Speaking to reporters at the Internal Security Operations Command, General Chalermchai said he is traveling to receive a medal of honor, and urged people not to link everything because it becomes messy.

He added that he does not know the details or truth about any movements the former sibling prime ministers might be making, again urging that various issues not be linked.

Upon being asked whether confidence in the government and National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) would be affected for not being able to arrest and bring the 2 former prime ministers back to face trial in the country, General Chalermchai said there is a method and procedural steps in dong things, and it is not that the government could just simply send some people to go and nab them, and liaising with other countries is the key way to handle this issue.

Asked about former Pheu Thai members of parliament traveling to meet Thaksin and Yingluck in Hong Kong last week, he said NCPO had reduced conflict and has been quite strict, but it is not dictatorial.

Armed forces are hardly used to control anyone, with the focus being on building up understanding, he said, adding that subconsciously people want peace in the country and a path had already been laid and everyone should help each other reach that goal.

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Top: General Chalermchai talking to the press today. Photo: Naew Na

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