Thai First Army Area commander dismisses possibility of a coup

BANGKOK, March 23 (TNA) - Thailand's First Army Area commander Lieutenant General Udomdet Seetabutr quoted Army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha as confirming that the Army would support the next general election as planned by the government and army soldiers would facilitate the next polling in appropriate manners.

General Udomdet said General Prayuth has ordered his subordinates to be impartial and promised to work hand in hand with the police to watch out for offences against the royal institution. If the Army finds such an offence by any political party, it will report the wrong-doing to the police for further actions.

When asked for a comment on the criticism that the Army has close connections with the Democrat Party and on its tendency to support the party in the next general election, Lieutenant General Udomdet said the Army commander-in-chief confirmed that the Army was ready to support any party that legitimately rose to power because the Army was a mechanism of the government. He confirmed that the Army was neutral for the election and a soldier, just like general people, can only cast a vote for his favorite party. He added that he welcomes all political parties to conduct an election campaign in the army compound.

In response to coup rumors, the First Army Area commander said the Army commander-in-chief clearly insisted that the Army was ready to support the election and there would not be a coup d’etat. (TNA)