Gen Pallop speaks out after being implicated in Thai assassination attempt

from the Bangkok Post:

Defence Minister Thamarak told me to resign as his adviser or be sacked, General Pallop says

General Pallop Pin-manee said yesterday that Defence Minister General Thamarak Isarangura had ordered him to resign as his adviser.

Pallop also said he would also cancel his membership of the Thai Rak Thai Party.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra sacked Pallop as deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) on Thursday after Isoc officer Lieutenant Thawatchai Klinchana was arrested while driving a car loaded with explosive devices near Thaksin's home.

It was said the incident was part of plot to assassinate Thaksin. Thawatchai was also a driver for Pallop several years ago.

"General Trairong Intaratat, the defence minister's chief of staff, called me this morning, saying that Thamarak wanted me to resign as his adviser. If I refused, he would sack me," said Pallop.

"How can I refuse the minister's order? With all my pride and dignity, I will submit my resignation.

"I will also cancel my membership of the Thai Rak Thai Party," he said.

The 70-year-old general said there were still many questions lingering over information given by the police about the alleged plot to assassinate Thaksin.

"Police said the vehicle left Isoc headquarters at 5.45am on Thursday. From there to where the car was found would take about 20 minutes or at about 6am. The premier said he escaped the plot as he left home earlier than usual or at about 8.30am.

"So anyone who wanted to assassinate the premier had almost two hours, from 6am to 8.30am, to prepare and detonate the explosives," Pallop said.

"So why didn't he complete the job, as he had more than enough time?"

Moreover, Pallop said that Thawatchai's wife said he drove a Nissan car from their house at about 6am, not 5.45am as earlier reported.

Pallop said he could not understand police statements which said the vehicle had circled the premier's residence several times.

"Why did a driver drive a car loaded with heavy explosives around Thaksin's residence? This is unusual as security officials would have noticed the car and the bombs," he said.

He said he believed the assassination plot was just a fabrication by a group of people who wanted to spin a story aimed at eliciting sympathy for a government whose popularity was declining.

"A few days ago, the government was heavily criticised and is on the downturn. It used the assassination plot to put a spin on the situation," he said.

Pallop said that about five days ago his source telephoned him saying somebody had said he would stage a coup d'etat.

"I laughed because how can I stage a coup d'etat. I am 70 years old and have no power to do so," he said.

"The problem of the country at the moment is the leader. The leader should recognise this for the sake of the country.

"If he waits until chaos ensues, there will be casualties. The leader should sacrifice himself," Pallop said.