General Ekkachai Srivilas: Isoc should be restructured by NCPO?

The National Council for Peace and Order should stop making any more personnel or structural changes in the Deep South  as the changes have already provoked a storm.

          The above suggestion was made by none other than General Ekkachai Srivilas, director of the Office of Peace and Governance of King Prajadhipok’s Institute, who has played active role in finding a solution to the unrest problem in the three southernmost provinces.

          In assessing the performance of the NCPO regarding the unrest problem for the past one month since the coup which focused on the adjustment of administrative structure and budgeting and reshuffle of ranking officials, he said the junta should take a pause temporarily.

          The reshuffle saw the removal of Pol Colonel Thavee Sodsong, secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, out of the troubled region and replaced by Mr Panu Uthairat who was the secretary-general from November 9,2009 to October 11, 2011.

          Pol Col Thavee was regarded as a pro-Thaksin man.  However, during his stint as the SBPAC head he has forged good relationship with Muslim local and religious leaders and earned their trust and confidence.   

          General Ekkachai said that the structural adjustment which aims to foster unity among all the agencies tasked with solving the southern problem with the military taking the leading role in security and non-security affairs has caused a storm as Muslim community leaders and religious leaders have become suspicious of the army.

          Unless the army can prove that they are more capable in development, security and community affairs than the civilian, they will be more welcome and their image will improve among the locals and the storm will taper off, said the retired general.

          The storm, he said, could be caused by certain elements whose vested interests were affected by the changes such as those who were involved in oil smuggling business, contraband and drug trafficking.

          Regarding organizational restructure, General Ekkachai suggested that the Internal Security Operations Command should be restructured especially  regarding the prime minister becoming ex-officio director of Isoc.

          "Is it necessary that the prime minister must be the director of Isoc?" asked the retired general.  He answered that it was unnecessary as a deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs can be the director and, also, there should be four deputy directors – for military affairs, police affairs, civil service affairs and people’s affairs.

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