Many of the Crown Prince’s closest friends, supporters, and relatives on his former wife’s side have ended up in jail. Some have died under mysterious circumstances while undergoing police interrogation.
The government of General Prayut Chan-o-Cha, a close ally and supporter of General Tinsulanonda and fellow Privy Councillor General Surayud Chulanont, has contributed to that.
Assistant army commander General Chalermchai Sitthisart was recently promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army (RTA). The promotion surprised many and was a departure from choosing successors from the ‘Burapha Payak’ royalist military faction – known as the ‘Eastern Tigers’ – that propelled junta chief Prayut Chan-o-cha to power.
It was also not in line with the wishes of deputy prime minister and Minister of Defence, General Prawit Wongsuwon, who has been described as the ‘elder brother’ of the ‘Burapha Phayak’ or “Eastern Tigers” and is and a supporter of the Crown Prince, who had recommended Thai army chief of staff General Pisit Sitthisarn for the post.
Linked to the Rajabhakti Park corruption scandal, it became widely known that General Tinsulanonda did not favour General Sitthisarn, who was instead made deputy Thai army chief. Last week General Sitthisart reshuffled 307 military positions at the battalion level widely seen as consolidating his command.
Read more: End Of Days: Thailand Prepares For King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Death http://aecnewstoday.com/2016/end-of-days-thailand-prepares-for-kings-death/#ixzz4N7wK0i3H
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