News of the appointment of Gen Surayud Chulanont as interim prime minister in Thailand has undoubtedly been warmly received by many Thais. Many in Thailand's neighbour, Burma, have also expressed optimism. The former Thai army commander-in-chief is no stranger to Burmese politics and the country's volatile border with Thailand. His former tough, no-nonsense stance towards Burmese incursions, for instance, has brought him high regard among ethnic minority Burmese and democratic groups both at home and abroad. ''He is a good soldier who sympathises with refugees from Burma,'' Karen leader Mahn Sha said. The secretary-general of the insurgent Karen Nation Union hoped that Gen Surayud would not have a ''one-sided view'' towards Burmese politics, and hoped he was well informed about developments there.
''He understands the nature of democratic groups,'' Mr Mahn Sha said. Because of his integrity and professionalism in the army, he was highly regarded among other Burmese pro-democracy groups. In fact, it is not just neighbours, like Burmese dissident groups, who have admired a general who once expressed his displeasure over the May 1992 bloody crackdown by Thai troops against pro-democracy protesters in Bangkok. Gen Surayud is also widely noted for the reforms he introduced into the Thai army at the time to generally keep the military out of politics and remove corrupt officers. Time magazine once described Gen Surayud as the most important Thai military figure of the modern era, and put him on its list of Asian heroes in 2003.
While careful not to mention the name of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, KNU leader Mahn Sha said that the newly appointed interim prime minister's policy towards Burma should not be based on business considerations. Mr Thaksin's soft approach towards Burma's ruling generals was widely criticised as being directly related to his Shin Corp group's business interests there.
Many Burmese refugees living along Thailand's border will also have fond memories of Gen Surayud. When he became army chief in 1998 under Chuan Leekpai's Democrat government, he endorsed a policy of not pushing back refugees who fled from war and persecution in Burma. Gen Surayud was always an outspoken critic of Burma's major role in Thailand's massive drug problem, particularly the increasing flow from the Wa territory of methamphetamines. His no-nonsense approach to Rangoon often frustrated the regime's friends in Thailand, such as then defence minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. Gen Chavalit had developed special relations with Burma's ruling generals, whom he called ''my brothers''.
The army commander was particularly decisive in handling often volatile situations along the Burmese border. He formed special units in northern Thailand to counter the flow of drugs arriving from the Wa hills, and even forced the Burmese to close checkpoints suspected of allowing drug caravans to pass through. The tense border situation resulted in some skirmishes between Thai and Burmese troops. Gen Surayud was also decisive in handling the hostage situation in January 2000 when a group of Burmese rebels armed with grenades and automatic weapons stormed a hospital in Ratchaburi province and took about 200 people captive. Thai troops took back the hospital and killed all 10 rebels believed to belong to the God's Army, a splinter Karen rebel group operating along the Thai-Burmese border. The group was led by twin teenage Karen leaders, Johnny and Luther Htoo. A year later, Thai soldiers under the command of Gen Surayud captured the twin teenage leaders. Gen Surayud treated them with dignity, offered them sanctuary and allowed them to seek asylum in a third country.
Without doubt, many Burmese, both at home and abroad, have vivid memories of Thai leaders and generals who helped to shape policies towards Burma. Many are not regarded as unfriendly towards the country. For sure, Gen Surayud will be on most Burmese good books _ not the generals', of course.