HDFF Chairman’s Circle/ Strategic Forum determined to
“KNOWLEDGE IMPROVES LIFE” !!
“From Foes to Friends: Peace building between Royal Thai Armed Forces and the communist movement in the 1980ies”
Thursday, September 01, 2011
On Thursday, September 01, 2011, HDFF’s Executive Director Dr. Wilfried A. Herrmann welcomed HDFF Chairman General (ret) Bunchon Chawansin and Mr. Thongchai Suwanvihok, former Secretary General of the Communist Party for the Southern Districts of Thailand and various high level guests to the 8th HDFF Chairman’s Circle 2011 supported by IRPC at the Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok. It was an honor and pleasure to have renowned guest speakers who could speak from their life and live experiences to explain the situation to solve the conflict between the Thai Army and the communist movement in the 1980s.
Today: General (Ret) Bunchon (right) and Mr. Thongchai (left)
Yesterday: then Colonel Bunchon (right) and Mr. Thongchai (left)
During that time (then-)Colonel Bunchon Chawansin was staff officer at the headquarters of the 4th Army Region, Royal Thai Army while Mr. Thongchai Suwanwihok a former university student who turned to be a member of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) was the Secretary General of the Southern CPT responsible for five provinces (Pattalung, Trang, Satun, Nakhon Sithammarat and Krabi). In this exceptional book either men share their common and diverse experiences as their respective positions or duties were on the opposite side.
When they first met, both of them occupied important roles in their respective organizations. In the general setting, the situation of the country did not improve despite and because of the long ongoing fighting between the Royal Thai Army and the CPT. Against this background the two men discovered the answer how to end the conflict based on the same conclusion. Core point was that both men realized that solving the conflict with violent means will cause more losses and more damages to the people involved. As a result the best solution would be to collaborate in order to solve the national problems together in peaceful ways .
As a starting point Gen (ret) Bunchon Chawansin took a step back in history to explain the worldwide divide after World War II – the capitalist United States of America vs. Communism as well as the fear the domino theory created, especially after the communist takeover in Vietnam after the Vietnam War in 1975. Thailand followed the United States, which in turn showed to Thai Army how to use force against communists. As a result the three “F strategy” (fight, fix and finish them), already used in the Vietnam War, was transferred and used in Thailand as well. At that time, Gen (ret) Bunchon explained there was no time to reconsider the strategy and the effects and backlash it would produce, resulting in a growing hatred of people against the army. Additionally, killing the Communist Party members was considered to be the right thing to do at that time as army members were trained to hate communists and see them as traitors to their country.
Mr. Thongchai Suwanvihok started his presentation by recalling growing up in a rural part of Thailand and the injustices he felt at that time. People in the rural areas would have fewer rights, therefore it felt like living in a dictatorship, while the army was allowed special privileges like using helicopters for private hunting tours. When in 1971 Students and Professors asked for a constitution as well as general elections the army responded by arresting 12 of their leaders. On the 14th of October (1973) two prominent generals of the army were ousted, itself being the starting point for the most active time of student protests combined with farmers all around the country asking for a fair price for their goods. The Army in turn started capturing civilians to interrogate, meanwhile hiding evidence of this happening by throwing the captured civilians in a bag out of a helicopter or burning them in a barrel.
The CPT (Communist Party Thailand) already had a small army at their disposal at the time and considered the armed fight against the army and government as the only available option. This notion got reinforced after the massacres on the 06th of October 1976, when police forces killed 46 students and protesters at Thammasat University, which in turn led to an overthrow of the government. The communist movement assembled itself after this event in the jungle.
Guests of various INGO and international development agencies listened to the presentations of General (ret) Bunchon and Mr. Thongchai about the peace building in the 1980ies in Southern Thailand.
Gen (ret) Bunchon further elaborated on the changes happening inside the army between 1973 and 1976 and pointed towards two thinking groups inside the army. Slowly the Democratic Soldier Group, which was thinking more in-depth about solving the conflict with the communist movement as well as with ordinary people, accumulated more support by army staff, which led to a change in tactics – away from the three “F’s” to the so called Order 66/23. Order 66/23, in place for all eight years under the government of PM General Prem Tinsulanonda, was important because it created a democratic platform as well as a pardon and amnesty policy.
With a democratic platform established CPT members felt their action should come to an end. First though, also as a sign of respect and reconciliation, the fallen members and friends of the communist movement should get a proper Buddhist burial, a project to be later remembered as “Ash in the Urn” project. Right after the appropriate funeral for fallen comrades the CPT, as announced publicly, would stop the fighting and its members would turn themselves in. During the preparation of the project Mr. Thongchai was captured and imprisoned and during single detention was denied medical care. Gen (ret) Bunchon was sent to visit Thongchai in prison and learn about the planned project, which was carried out afterwards.
The event was held under the Chatham House Rules which means that information gained during this event may be used. However, the person sharing the information must not be named.
Even after the photo session a very engaged and in depth discussion continued wide into the lunch with high quality inputs from various sources widened the perspectives.
HDFF would like to take the opportunity to thank the amazing guest speakers as well as the participants for their energetic involvement making the 8th HDFF Chairman’s Circle an interesting and thriving event.
The next HDFF Chairman’s Circle will commence in the last quarter of the year dealing either with Indonesia or Myanmar!
More information will be posted soon on the website or can be obtained via event@hdff.org
For registrations please contact herrmann@hdff.org or gassner@hdff.org
HDFF Chairman’s Circle/ Strategic Forum determined to
“KNOWLEDGE IMPROVES LIFE” !!
“From Foes to Friends: Peace building between Royal Thai Armed Forces and the communist movement in the 1980ies”
Thursday, September 01, 2011
General (ret) Bunchon Chawansin, HDFF Chairman
On Thursday, September 01, 2011, HDFF’s Executive Director Dr. Wilfried A. Herrmann welcomed HDFF Chairman General (ret) Bunchon Chawansin and Mr. Thongchai Suwanvihok, former Secretary General of the Communist Party for the Southern Districts of Thailand and various high level guests to the 8th HDFF Chairman’s Circle 2011 supported by IRPC at the Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok. It was an honor and pleasure to have renowned guest speakers who could speak from their life and live experiences to explain the situation to solve the conflict between the Thai Army and the communist movement in the 1980s.
Today: General (Ret) Bunchon (right) and Mr. Thongchai (left)
Yesterday: then Colonel Bunchon (right) and Mr. Thongchai (left)
During that time (then-)Colonel Bunchon Chawansin was staff officer at the headquarters of the 4th Army Region, Royal Thai Army while Mr. Thongchai Suwanwihok a former university student who turned to be a member of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) was the Secretary General of the Southern CPT responsible for five provinces (Pattalung, Trang, Satun, Nakhon Sithammarat and Krabi). In this exceptional book either men share their common and diverse experiences as their respective positions or duties were on the opposite side.
When they first met, both of them occupied important roles in their respective organizations. In the general setting, the situation of the country did not improve despite and because of the long ongoing fighting between the Royal Thai Army and the CPT. Against this background the two men discovered the answer how to end the conflict based on the same conclusion. Core point was that both men realized that solving the conflict with violent means will cause more losses and more damages to the people involved. As a result the best solution would be to collaborate in order to solve the national problems together in peaceful ways .
As a starting point Gen (ret) Bunchon Chawansin took a step back in history to explain the worldwide divide after World War II – the capitalist United States of America vs. Communism as well as the fear the domino theory created, especially after the communist takeover in Vietnam after the Vietnam War in 1975. Thailand followed the United States, which in turn showed to Thai Army how to use force against communists. As a result the three “F strategy” (fight, fix and finish them), already used in the Vietnam War, was transferred and used in Thailand as well. At that time, Gen (ret) Bunchon explained there was no time to reconsider the strategy and the effects and backlash it would produce, resulting in a growing hatred of people against the army. Additionally, killing the Communist Party members was considered to be the right thing to do at that time as army members were trained to hate communists and see them as traitors to their country.
Mr. Thongchai Suwanvihok started his presentation by recalling growing up in a rural part of Thailand and the injustices he felt at that time. People in the rural areas would have fewer rights, therefore it felt like living in a dictatorship, while the army was allowed special privileges like using helicopters for private hunting tours. When in 1971 Students and Professors asked for a constitution as well as general elections the army responded by arresting 12 of their leaders. On the 14th of October (1973) two prominent generals of the army were ousted, itself being the starting point for the most active time of student protests combined with farmers all around the country asking for a fair price for their goods. The Army in turn started capturing civilians to interrogate, meanwhile hiding evidence of this happening by throwing the captured civilians in a bag out of a helicopter or burning them in a barrel.
The CPT (Communist Party Thailand) already had a small army at their disposal at the time and considered the armed fight against the army and government as the only available option. This notion got reinforced after the massacres on the 06th of October 1976, when police forces killed 46 students and protesters at Thammasat University, which in turn led to an overthrow of the government. The communist movement assembled itself after this event in the jungle.
Guests of various INGO and international development agencies listened to the presentations of General (ret) Bunchon and Mr. Thongchai about the peace building in the 1980ies in Southern Thailand.
Gen (ret) Bunchon further elaborated on the changes happening inside the army between 1973 and 1976 and pointed towards two thinking groups inside the army. Slowly the Democratic Soldier Group, which was thinking more in-depth about solving the conflict with the communist movement as well as with ordinary people, accumulated more support by army staff, which led to a change in tactics – away from the three “F’s” to the so called Order 66/23. Order 66/23, in place for all eight years under the government of PM General Prem Tinsulanonda, was important because it created a democratic platform as well as a pardon and amnesty policy.
With a democratic platform established CPT members felt their action should come to an end. First though, also as a sign of respect and reconciliation, the fallen members and friends of the communist movement should get a proper Buddhist burial, a project to be later remembered as “Ash in the Urn” project. Right after the appropriate funeral for fallen comrades the CPT, as announced publicly, would stop the fighting and its members would turn themselves in. During the preparation of the project Mr. Thongchai was captured and imprisoned and during single detention was denied medical care. Gen (ret) Bunchon was sent to visit Thongchai in prison and learn about the planned project, which was carried ou
HDFF Chairman’s Circle/ Strategic Forum determined to
“KNOWLEDGE IMPROVES LIFE” !!
“From Foes to Friends: Peace building between Royal Thai Armed Forces and the communist movement in the 1980ies”
Thursday, September 01, 2011
General (ret) Bunchon Chawansin, HDFF Chairman
On Thursday, September 01, 2011, HDFF’s Executive Director Dr. Wilfried A. Herrmann welcomed HDFF Chairman General (ret) Bunchon Chawansin and Mr. Thongchai Suwanvihok, former Secretary General of the Communist Party for the Southern Districts of Thailand and various high level guests to the 8th HDFF Chairman’s Circle 2011 supported by IRPC at the Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok. It was an honor and pleasure to have renowned guest speakers who could speak from their life and live experiences to explain the situation to solve the conflict between the Thai Army and the communist movement in the 1980s.
Today: General (Ret) Bunchon (right) and Mr. Thongchai (left)
Yesterday: then Colonel Bunchon (right) and Mr. Thongchai (left)
During that time (then-)Colonel Bunchon Chawansin was staff officer at the headquarters of the 4th Army Region, Royal Thai Army while Mr. Thongchai Suwanwihok a former university student who turned to be a member of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) was the Secretary General of the Southern CPT responsible for five provinces (Pattalung, Trang, Satun, Nakhon Sithammarat and Krabi). In this exceptional book either men share their common and diverse experiences as their respective positions or duties were on the opposite side.
When they first met, both of them occupied important roles in their respective organizations. In the general setting, the situation of the country did not improve despite and because of the long ongoing fighting between the Royal Thai Army and the CPT. Against this background the two men discovered the answer how to end the conflict based on the same conclusion. Core point was that both men realized that solving the conflict with violent means will cause more losses and more damages to the people involved. As a result the best solution would be to collaborate in order to solve the national problems together in peaceful ways .
As a starting point Gen (ret) Bunchon Chawansin took a step back in history to explain the worldwide divide after World War II – the capitalist United States of America vs. Communism as well as the fear the domino theory created, especially after the communist takeover in Vietnam after the Vietnam War in 1975. Thailand followed the United States, which in turn showed to Thai Army how to use force against communists. As a result the three “F strategy” (fight, fix and finish them), already used in the Vietnam War, was transferred and used in Thailand as well. At that time, Gen (ret) Bunchon explained there was no time to reconsider the strategy and the effects and backlash it would produce, resulting in a growing hatred of people against the army. Additionally, killing the Communist Party members was considered to be the right thing to do at that time as army members were trained to hate communists and see them as traitors to their country.
Mr. Thongchai Suwanvihok started his presentation by recalling growing up in a rural part of Thailand and the injustices he felt at that time. People in the rural areas would have fewer rights, therefore it felt like living in a dictatorship, while the army was allowed special privileges like using helicopters for private hunting tours. When in 1971 Students and Professors asked for a constitution as well as general elections the army responded by arresting 12 of their leaders. On the 14th of October (1973) two prominent generals of the army were ousted, itself being the starting point for the most active time of student protests combined with farmers all around the country asking for a fair price for their goods. The Army in turn started capturing civilians to interrogate, meanwhile hiding evidence of this happening by throwing the captured civilians in a bag out of a helicopter or burning them in a barrel.
The CPT (Communist Party Thailand) already had a small army at their disposal at the time and considered the armed fight against the army and government as the only available option. This notion got reinforced after the massacres on the 06th of October 1976, when police forces killed 46 students and protesters at Thammasat University, which in turn led to an overthrow of the government. The communist movement assembled itself after this event in the jungle.
Guests of various INGO and international development agencies listened to the presentations of General (ret) Bunchon and Mr. Thongchai about the peace building in the 1980ies in Southern Thailand.
Gen (ret) Bunchon further elaborated on the changes happening inside the army between 1973 and 1976 and pointed towards two thinking groups inside the army. Slowly the Democratic Soldier Group, which was thinking more in-depth about solving the conflict with the communist movement as well as with ordinary people, accumulated more support by army staff, which led to a change in tactics – away from the three “F’s” to the so called Order 66/23. Order 66/23, in place for all eight years under the government of PM General Prem Tinsulanonda, was important because it created a democratic platform as well as a pardon and amnesty policy.
With a democratic platform established CPT members felt their action should come to an end. First though, also as a sign of respect and reconciliation, the fallen members and friends of the communist movement should get a proper Buddhist burial, a project to be later remembered as “Ash in the Urn” project. Right after the appropriate funeral for fallen comrades the CPT, as announced publicly, would stop the fighting and its members would turn themselves in. During the preparation of the project Mr. Thongchai was captured and imprisoned and during single detention was denied medical care. Gen (ret) Bunchon was sent to visit Thongchai in prison and learn about the planned project, which was carried out afterwards.
The event was held under the Chatham House Rules which means that information gained during this event may be used. However, the person sharing the information must not be named.
Even after the photo session a very engaged and in depth discussion continued wide into the lunch with high quality inputs from various sources widened the perspectives.
HDFF would like to take the opportunity to thank the amazing guest speakers as well as the participants for their energetic involvement making the 8th HDFF Chairman’s Circle an interesting and thriving event.
The next HDFF Chairman’s Circle will commence in the last quarter of the year dealing either with Indonesia or Myanmar!
More information will be posted soon on the website or can be obtained via event@hdff.org
For registrations please contact herrmann@hdff.org or gassner@hdff.org
t afterwards.
The event was held under the Chatham House Rules which means that information gained during this event may be used. However, the person sharing the information must not be named.
Even after the photo session a very engaged and in depth discussion continued wide into the lunch with high quality inputs from various sources widened the perspectives.
HDFF would like to take the opportunity to thank the amazing guest speakers as well as the participants for their energetic involvement making the 8th HDFF Chairman’s Circle an interesting and thriving event.
The next HDFF Chairman’s Circle will commence in the last quarter of the year dealing either with Indonesia or Myanmar!
More information will be posted soon on the website or can be obtained via event@hdff.org
For registrations please contact herrmann@hdff.org or gassner@hdff.org
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