Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra revealed for the first time his version of the reason behind his fallout with Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, a former military strongman and now leader of the embattled Palang Pracharath Party.
Speaking during a question-answer session following his keynote speech on Thailand’s future at a function organized by The Nation media group Thursday night, Thaksin said while he was prime minister, Prawit had tried unsuccessfully to get his support to head Thailand’s top anti-graft agency.
He said Prawit approached him with the request as he was due for retirement as the army chief in 2005.
Speaking in an obviously belittling tone, Thaksin recalled that Prawit owed his rise in his military career to his blessing.
“It was me who appointed him as commander of the First Army Region,” Thaksin said, referring to the powerful army unit, which was instrumental in past military coups.
Prawit later rose to become the army commander-in-chief and was seen as having played a major role in toppling the Thaksin government in 2006.
Thaksin said their breaking point came when Prawit asked to be made chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission upon his retirement from the army.
“My reaction then was, ‘What? A general in charge of anti-corruption agency? What does he know about all the laws involved?’,” Thaksin said.
He said that message was somehow later relayed to Prawit. And that was the end of their camaraderie.
Thaksin said since his return from self-exile last August, he has not been in direct communication with Prawit. “Why would I want to talk to him?” Thaksin said.
Prawit’s Palang Pracharath is one of the partners in the outgoing Pheu Thai-led coalition. The party is facing a major rebellion by a group of MPs who want to continue to ally with Pheu Thai on their own terms without Prawit’s involvement.
