Just keeping the peace
An image showing the commander of the 9th infantry unit, Maj Gen Thammanoon Withee, mingling with people surrounding the train carrying student activists on their way to Rajabhakti Park has raised questions of what a senior military officer was doing there, according to an article in The Nation Weekly.
Some people tried to frame Maj Gen Thammanoon as being the mastermind behind a local rally against the student activists.
The army detained the students at Ban Pong station, Ratchaburi, on their way to the park. “They must be disappointed,” it added.
Maj Gen Thammanoon said he was present at the rally because he wanted to control the situation himself. He said he saw some anti-student protesters were trying to get close to the bus taking the activists away.
Since the situation was vulnerable to chaos, he told authorities to keep local people at least five metres away from the bus, he said.
Some people questioned why Maj Gen Thammanoon’s pink T-shirt appeared similar to the ones worn by villagers surrounding the bus. He insisted it was a mere coincidence.
People in military circles know Maj Gen Thammanoon is a close aide of army chief Gen Theerachai Nakvanich. He has a bright future in the army, the story said.
Maj Gen Thammanoon progressed in his career initially based at the 12th infantry unit in Sa Kaeo.
His name first appeared in the news when he led military personnel from several units in a show of force against the late rogue officer Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, killed by a sniper bullet during the 2010 red-shirt anti-government protests.