PM endorses Duang's reinstatement into army

Samak said he did not pay attention to Duang's assignment within the military service. He broke silence on the issue after trying to evade the question in the morning.

He spoke after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

Duang served as a sublieutenant in the Armed Forces Security Centre before his discharge for desertion in connection with the killing of a decorated police officer in 2001.

Samak earlier on Tuesday refused to comment whether he had given a green light to reinstate Duang into the military service.

Speculation has spreaded that Chalerm is lobbying for the reinstatement of his son Duang Yoobamrung who was discharged as an Army officer in 2001 on grounds of desertion.

Duang fled the country after being a suspect in killing a decorated police officer during a bar brawl. He surrendered in Malaysia in 2002 and subsequently won an acquittal.

But his reinstatement reaches a stumbling block because his discharge order cited deserttion, a non-pardonable military offence as grounds and not a temporary dismissal pending the court battle.

The Nation