Thailand's new prime minister said yesterday that he will also become the defense minister in a soon-to-be unveiled Cabinet to deter the military from staging a coup against his government.
The Cabinet, to be announced in the coming days, is expected to be stocked with close advisers, friends and relatives of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled in a 2006 military coup.
The military, which relinquished power after guiding the country for more than a year, is displeased with the election victory of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who has openly announced that he is Thaksin's proxy.
Samak said he would take the defense minister's job to allay military fears that he or others would interfere with the annual military reshuffle of senior officers. Under a law that came into effect on Saturday, the power to implement the reshuffles is removed from political leaders, including the prime minister and defense minister, and placed in the hands of seven military commissioners.
"When there is no outside interference there is no reason for them to stage a coup," said Samak, who was sworn in on Tuesday last week to become the country's first elected leader since the coup.
In the past, the annual changing of the guard proved an opportunity for political leaders to shore up their positions with military commanders while relegating potential opponents to unimportant positions.
Generals have periodically toppled governments since the country changed from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary system in 1932. The latest occurred on Sept. 19, 2006, when the military deposed Thaksin, who has been charged with corruption and abuse of power.
Thaksin, who was out of the country during the coup and has not returned since, now spends most of his time in London. He says he will return to Thailand this year to face the courts and clear his name.
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