อย่าได้ห่วงเขาเลย แค่นี้เขาก็ดังไปทั่วโลกแล้ว ที่ยังชั่งใจอยู่ในเวลานี้ ก็คือถ้าลาออกแล้ว จะทำให้ภาพลักษณ์ประเทศไทย เสียหายในสายตาชาวโลกหรือไม่ ก็เท่านั้นแหละ
สำนักข่าว AP จ้ะ Thai general hints at coup over alleged royal insult
By SUTIN WANNABOVORN 2 hours ago
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Thailand's military indicated Thursday that it might stage a coup as tension grew over a government official who is accused of insulting the king.
The military has strong loyalties to the palace and has in the past used alleged attacks against the monarchy as a pretext to seize power in some of Thailand's perennial coups.
"No soldier wants to stage a coup to topple the government but I cannot guarantee that there will be no more coup," Supreme Military Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit told reporters.
The last coup occurred in 2006 following months of mass street protests against then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who went into exile but has since returned to fight corruption charges against him and his family.
Rumors of a new coup have circulated in the Thai capital in recent days as the army and opposition parties escalated their attacks on Jakrapob Penkair, a minister attached to the prime minister's office accused of insulting King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Niempradit urged Jakrapob to resign from his Cabinet post.
An arrest warrant will be issued for Penkair next week, police announced Thursday. A police officer in March filed a complaint against Jakrapob, alleging that he had committed lese majeste, the crime of insulting the monarchy.
The English-language Bangkok Post said the commander of the 1st Army, which is based in Bangkok, was called back from a European trip in light of the political tensions.
Anti-government groups, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, planned another major street protest for Friday, demanding the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej for allegedly trying to amend the constitution for political gain.
The demonstrators accuse Samak, widely viewed as a proxy for Thaksin, of trying to change the constitution as a way to hold onto power and to prevent Thaksin from facing justice. Under the existing military-backed constitution that was implemented after Thaksin's ouster, the prime minister can only amend the charter for the public interest, not for personal interest.
Thaksin faces corruption-related charges filed by special committees set up by the military after the coup.
Fearing a military coup, the core party of Samak's coalition government Thursday said it would withdraw support for the motion now before both houses of Parliament to amend the constitution.
Suriyasai Katasila, spokesman for the People's Alliance for Democracy, said protests would be called off if the motion was withdrawn.