Royal Thai Air Force clarifies Singapore’s use of leased airbase

BANGKOK, Feb 24 (TNA) – Amid angry protests and rising nationalist sentiment against Singapore, the Royal Thai Air Force is under pressure to clarify Singapore’s use of its airfield in northeastern Thailand.

Group Captain Montol Sachukorn, deputy RAF spokesman, denied reports that the military airbase was leased by the air force to the island state for 15 years.

He said Singapore was allowed to use the facility in Udon Thani province for flight training under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2004 by then air force chief ACM Kongsak Wantana while deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was still in power.

Hundreds of demonstrators from 19 northeastern provinces, calling themselves the Assembly of Isaan People, marched Friday to the military airfield, 560 km northeast of Bangkok, demanding that the air force review the Thaksin-era pact allowing Singapore's military to use the site.

“The air force is prepared to listen to any complaints the local people may have. We understand your concerns. But an appropriate course of action is still under discussion,” the RAF deputy spokesman said.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont had previously made it clear that Thailand would not revise its military cooperation accord with Singapore.

Apparent nationalist sentiments and exaggerated patriotism have flared since Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, chairman of the Council for National Security and army commander-in-chief a week ago vowed to recover Shin Satellite, the country’s sole telecommunications satellite operator, which he described the Thai satellites as "national assets" from Singapore.

Bilateral ties had already been strained when Mr Thaksin's family sold a 49-percent stake in Thai telecom giant Shin Corp - founded by the ex-premier - tax-free to Singapore's state-linked investment firm Temasek Holdings in 2006.

Last month when Mr Thaksin, who has been living in exile since the coup, was received by Singapore’s deputy prime minister during his visit to the city-state, Thailand announced it would suspend all high-level meetings in protest.

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500 protest in Udon Thani, but Thais won't revise Singapore military pact: PM

UDON THANI, Feb 23 (TNA) – Despite as many as 500 protestors from 19 northeastern provinces calling for an end to Singapore use of the Udon Thani Royal Thai Air Base here, some 560 km northeast of Bangkok, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont stressed Friday that Thailand will not revise its military cooperation accords with the island republic.

Although there have been some minor disagreements between the two neighbours, Gen. Surayud made it clear that Thailand does not intend to reduce military cooperation with Singapore.

Marching from Thung Sri Muang field in Udon Thani municipality to Air Base 23, they then read an open letter to Prime Minister Surayud before handing it over to representatives of the base commander.

Representing a coalition of activist groups throughout the northeast, the protestors demanded that the interim government cancel a pact with Singapore signed by the former Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2004 to allow the island republic to use the base for training purposes for 15 years.

Gen. Surayud said the interim government has never discussed such an issue which is a matter of international relations, emphasising that his government has never seriously considered any actions that will cause adverse consequences for the country's relationship with foreign countries.

As member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the premier said, Thailand has always been committed to cooperation it has agreed upon with other country members.

"Our policy concerning cooperation with all foreign countries, especially those in the Asean group, does not change", Gen. Surayud affirmed.

Demonstrators carried banners requesting Singapore to return the military base to Thailand. They also demanded revoking ownership of the entire Shin Group including the Shin Satellite concessions that ousted PM Thaksin's family had sold to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Sense of so-called nationalism among some groups of Thai people has apparently flared up when Thai military leader Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, as chairman of the Council for National Security and Army Commander-in-Chief has recently vowed to take back the satellite facilities which he described as "national assets" from Singapore.

A number of critics, including academics and media columnists, have cautioned that the current stream of excessive patriotism may do more harm than good to the nation if it is let to get out of hand.

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Concern over flight training by Singapore

Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas yesterday denied Singapore's air force was being allowed to exploit the use of a military airport in Udon Thani to spy on Thailand's neighbours.

He said all exercises were carried out under the close supervision of the Royal Thai Air Force.

Some National Legislative Assembly members had expressed concern that Singapore's fighters might pass through no-fly zones and intrude on the airspace of Burma, Laos or China on their training missions.

While Singapore was planning four exercises a year, each taking about three weeks, its officials had to submit their plans to Thai authorities at least 90 days in advance, Boonrawd told yesterday's NLA session. Exercises were monitored and every detail had to be approved by Thailand, he said.

In November 2004 during the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on military cooperation. It led to a 15-year deal, under which Singapore could use the Wing 23 airbase to train its pilots while Thailand would benefit from advanced technology shared by Singapore's Air Force.

The NLA debate came up while bilateral diplomatic relations have soured since the junta attacked the city-state for undermining Thai sovereignty through its close relationship with Thaksin. NLA member Samran Rodphet urged the government to review the rental term, saying 15 years was too long.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

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