FFP to push for House panel to study reform in armed forces

>>Future Forward Party (FFP) leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said his party will push for a House committee to scrutinise and give suggestions on military reforms.

He said the party will also open a Facebook page to gather complaints from rank-and-file soldiers who feel they are unfairly treated, so FFP MPs can relay them to the government during the upcoming censure debate on Feb 24-26.

Mr Thanathorn said the Facebook page will be like the complaints channel set up by army chief Apirat Kongsompong, which allows low-ranking soldiers to file complaints directly to the commander. This was prompted by a soldier’s shooting spree in Nakhon Ratchasima, which was allegedly motivated by unfairness.

Mr Thanathorn was speaking at an event called “From Korat [Nakhon Ratchasima] to armed forces reform” at the Oct 14 Memorial on Ratchadamnoen Avenue yesterday.

The FFP was drumming up support for its renewed call to push for military reforms, he said.

At the forum, Mr Thanathorn said it was tough to see that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Gen Apirat are committed to military reforms.

Mr Thanathorn said Gen Prayut has been in power for almost six years, and despite having the all-powerful Section 44 at his disposal, he did not use its power to reform the armed forces.

Gen Apirat had said he would terminate unsound army projects, after shady transactions were raised as a possible motive behind the mass shooting.

Sources said the shooter was motivated by a personal conflict over a house sale involving a relative of his commanding officer. Thirty people were killed, including the gunman Sgt Maj 1st Class Jakrapanth Thomma, and 58 injured in last week’s shooting spree.