THAI ARMY GETS NEW CHIEF AS BANGKOK EYES RETURN TO CIVILIAN RULE
BANGKOK— A new chief of Thailand’s army took command on Friday, a staunchly royalist general whowill oversee a return to barracks to make way for a civilian government after nearly five years of military rule.
General Apirat Kongsompong, 58, belongs to the King’s Guard faction in the First Infantry Division of the First Army Region—a group at the very heart of the royalist military establishment.
General’s son
The relationship between the monarchy, the army and politicians is the fundamental factor determining stability in Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.
Apirat is the son of General Sunthorn Kongsompong, who led a 1991 coup that triggered a groundswell of opposition from a growing middle class, which re- sulted in the military’s return to barracks in 1992 for 22 years, until the last coup in 2014.
Bangkok’s media portrays Apirat as a “trusted lieutenant” of Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha, who staged the 2014 coup when he was army chief.
“I will do my best for the nation and the people,” Apirat said in a speech before taking up his post.
Promise of democracy
Prayuth has promised to hold a general election by May under a new constitution that civilian critics say is aimed at limiting the role of political parties while enshrining military influence.
Prayuth has declined to confirm his plans amid widespread media speculation he will seek to stay on in power as an unelected prime minister. He has hinted he could take up a public role after the election.