Date: February 8, 2010
Army specialist Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, better known as “Seh Daeng”, has insisted that the red-shirt United Front Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) should work with his people’s army to fight the government and the military, while detailing plans to seize Government House and Parliament building as well as to “suppress the soldiers”.
At 1.00 pm, Maj-Gen Khattiya announced in an interview at Suvarnabhumi airport that he had no intentions to take over executive position of the UDD leaders. He stressed that he did not mean to get involved with the UDD and apologized for his announcement on the plan to set up the people's army that came out too early without coordinating with the UDD first as he viewed that the UDD and his group were working in parallel.
The army specialist also confirmed he had talked to UDD core leader Nattawut Saikua on the phone and Mr. Nattawut understood that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra agreed on the plan after realizing the UDD had applied default strategies which resulted in UDD losing the battle to the Army in April last year.
He said the pro-Thaksin movement needs to rely on a political party, a united front and the people’s army, which he said is “not an armed force”.
He is also confident that the rift between another top UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan and Gen Panlop Pinmanee would be cleared up soon after senior members urged Mr. Jatuporn to apologize to Gen Panlop.
Maj-Gen Khattiya also pointed out the need to set up the people’s army as an essential tool to deal with the illegitimate government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. He, meanwhile, doubted the success of the UDD’s strategy with the only key tactic is to lay siege to the Government House without measure to handle the government security forces.
The army specialist revealed that to succeed in the call for a return to the 1997 constitution and to win a battle with the incumbent government dominated by the elite establishment, the pro-Thaksin group must include four key elements:
1. Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh must head the people’s armyas he has power to control army troops.
2. The group needs to mobilize families of the infantry soldiers in both Bangkok and provincial areas out in the streets to prevent the army’s shooting.
3. The group will warn parents of army personnel to no send their children back to the bases as without troops the UDD could succeed in besieging the Government House, closing the road, and eventually storming the parliament.
4. The people set up by Mr. Thaksin could then heighten its strength by combining force with the red-shirts that will provide necessary supplies like food to the people’s army. Then, the people’s army will move to protect locals in each province starting from February 7, with Kwanchai Praiphana, UDD leader in Udon Thani, who is expected to make announcement on the plan to set up the people’s army in Udon Thani soon “if he is not abducted first”.
The army specialist also added that from now on when receiving an order from Mr. Thaksin he would prepare with the UDD first before making a move, while focusing on the bring back of the 1997 constitution. The group will urge army privates not to return to their divisions. Once the group can seize power, Mr. Jatuporn could become the parliament president.
He said there were those who love Mr. Thaksin wanting to join the people’s army to help the return of Mr. Thaksin who is ready to replace the conservative elite system that is considered a threat to the Democratic system with capitalism when he resumes power.