Another coup? Army video clip sparks concerns among Thai voters
The video clip titled “Why We Need Soldiers” has sparked a discussion on whether the Army is “saying something” ahead of the election on Sunday.
The video was reportedly posted on Monday by the Public Relations Department of the 2nd Army Area, which supervises military bases in the Northeast. However, there is no information on who created the clip.
The animation film set against a Thai rap song starts by portraying the different jobs a soldier fulfils. The camera then pans to a man in a white shirt shouting: “We don’t need soldiers. Go back to your barracks. No one’s going to war anymore. The Army is a waste of money anyway.”
Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroerat, who usually wears a white shirt, has been pushing for military reforms.
The clip then shows images of soldiers helping people during the floods, with one character telling a fellow soldier: “We must endure this no matter how much we are hated.”
The video ends with the image of a soldier bidding farewell to a sick, dying old woman with the message: “It’s fine to hate soldiers now, but we will always be by people’s side. Some people may not need help from soldiers, but we will be on standby for all situations. We thank all soldiers for their hard work, and will see you again when people need us.”
The background music was performed by a hip hop group “POP A Panda”, which said in the song’s music video posted on YouTube that it was dedicated to soldiers who have been helping civilians in all crises. The group also supports the abolition of mandatory conscription.
The clip was widely shared on social media, with many people commenting on the role soldiers played in Thailand’s many military coups. Some also voiced concerns that a military government may return after the election.
In May 2014, then-Army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha led a military coup to oust the caretaker government of Yingluck Shinawatra. The military established a junta called the National Council for Peace and Order to govern the nation with Prayut and his brother-in-arms General Prawit Wongsuwan holding top positions, cementing their power in the subsequent government for eight years.
