BANGKOK, June 25 — After concluding a second briefing for foreign military attaches from 15 countries, held early Wednesday, a spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said most of them understand the situation but still worry about how long the Peace and Order Council will stay and work.
NCPO spokesman Col Weerachon Sukhondhapatipak told journalists that most participants attending the briefing wanted to know a clear schedule on how long the council would stay so that they could inform their governments and militaries.
However, they did not pressure the Peace and Order Council as they fully understand the situation in the kingdom after being in this country for a long time, he said.
Generally speaking, they understand the role of NCPO and also asked it to conduct similar briefing every week, said Col Weerachon.
Col Weerachon said he had stressed Thailand’s disappointment at the attitude of the European Union (EU) which condemned the May 22 military takeover during the briefing and had asked military attaches from European countries to help explain the reality on the ground to their governments and military leaders.
On the US dropping of Thailand to the lowest level, Tier 3 from Tier 2, in its annual Trafficking in Persons report, Col Weerachon said it is better for Washington to “monitor how NCPO solves the problem.”
On the possibility that the US may relocate the annual Cobra Gold military exercise between the US and Thailand to another country, he said the issue is “still unclear.”
However, the NCPO is worried and wants the US to separate politics from security issue, he said.
Col Weerachon said he had also briefed the Cambodian military attache on the NCPO trying to reorganise migrant workers system in Thailand and that Cambodia understood Thailand’s efforts, ande many Cambodians have begun to return to work in this country.
On the formation of an organisation called the Organisation of Free Thais for Human Rights and Democracy by former interior minister Charupong Ruangsuwan and fugitive Jakrapob Penkair aimed at opposing the NCPO, Col Weerachon said he had told the foreign military attaches that these men are wanted by Thai authorities and under arrest warrants.
He said the Foreign Affairs Ministry has been assigned to cooperate with other countries in bringing the two men to prosecution in Thailand.
