ACM Sukampol tipped for transport 8/08/2011

The person most likely to take the post of
transport minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister-elect Yingluck
Shinawatra is Air Chief Marshall Sukampol Suwannathat, ACM Sumeth
Phomanee said on Monday

ACM Sukampol, like ACM Sumeth, was a classmate of former prime
minister Thaksin Shinwatra at Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies
Preparatory School.



ACM Sumeth was earlier tippped to take the transport portfolio but
said he was no longer a candidate for the post, which was most likely to
go to his friend ACM Sukampol.



"That's alright.  No problem.  We are friends.  There is no
competition between friends.  If 'Oh' (ACM Sukampol's nickname) gets it,
I would congratulate him.  As for myself, being a cabinet minister or
not is not important.  I can still work for Thaksin and Pheu Thai," he
said.



ACM Sumeth, however, did not rule out his being appointed to the
cabinet.  He said Thaksin sent a message to him via a friend that there
was probably another cabinet post for him.



A source said ACM Sukampol resigned as the inspector-general of the
Defence Ministry last week.  He is due to retire this September.



He is a Class 10 officer who is close to Thaksin and his ex-wife Khunying Potjaman Damapong.



Unlike ACM Sumeth, who served in the air force ground security force,
ACM Sukampol was an F5 jet pilot.  Traditionally, a pilot gains  higher
recognition in the air force, the source said.



The source said Thaksin wanted ACM Sukampol to closely supervise the
operations of Suvarnabhumi airport, Thai Airways International and the
Airports of Thailand Plc.  In the previous government, these agencies
were under the supervision of the Bhumjaithai Party, whose de facto
leader is Newin Chidchob.



ACM Sukampol, a former air force chief-of-staff, was formerly a
strong candidate for the post of air force commander.  However, after
the Sept 19, 2006 coup he was transferred to be assistant air force
chief and then inspector-general and is due to retire at the end of next
month.



With ACM Sukampol now a potential candidate for the transport
portfolio, ACM Sumeth could only hope for the post of a deputy minister
of a ministry, probably defence.