"Big Lek" bids farewell as the “Minister of Defense” opens up about the fighting period, "I Didn't Want to Fight, But When You Fight, You Must Win."

Today (3 April) at 10:00 AM, at the Ministry of Defense, General Natthapol Nakpanich, former minister of defense, entered the ministry to pay respects to the sacred objects of the ministry and participate in a farewell ceremony. He was joined by Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen, minister of defense; General Tharaphong Malakham, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defense; and other Ministry of Defense officials, who presented him with roses as a farewell.

General Natthapol stated that he thanked the media for their understanding, as he had received advice from senior figures that he didn't need to say much regarding the resolution of the Thai-Cambodian border issue from July to December 2026. He responded by saying that if he didn't speak up, no one else would dare. Villagers suffering from the crisis, farmer associations, and various industries called asking for help, requesting a relaxation of measures because they were experiencing hardship. He told them he wanted them to speak publicly about their suffering, but they were afraid to because they feared online backlash. He explained that he was already facing significant criticism, and if he continued, people wouldn't understand. He wanted those affected to speak first, but ultimately, they were too afraid.

General Nattapol added that seeing the conflict in the Middle East showed him that the current global society is one of resolving problems through force. Therefore, Thailand will likely follow that path. He said he wasn't disheartened by the events, as people asked why he remained so cheerful despite the criticism. He explained that he understood the situation and had consistently told the media that the reason the public or some media outlets didn't understand was because he wasn't telling the whole truth. Some things couldn't be said because doing so would damage the country and the military and reveal our thinking to Cambodia. Therefore, he was bound to be criticized, and if he didn't want to, he would speak up. But since he couldn't, he deserved the criticism. And he accepted the criticism with understanding. Therefore, one must wait. Once the mission is complete, the duty is done.

General Nattapol continued, saying that he had nothing to say to the new minister of defense, or to his subordinates in the army, regarding the situation. He said the new minister is capable and that Lieutenant General Adul has risen through the ranks of the army, consistently commanding units until becoming the commander of the 2nd Army Region. He personally believes this approach may be satisfactory to society and a good one. He thinks the Ministry of Defense might prosper and gain public satisfaction in the future. Although he didn't come from a combat unit, he served in the Army Operations Department for 19 years, eventually becoming its head. Therefore, his thinking is strategic, focusing on the big picture, not purely academic. His best philosophy is, "Win without fighting, but when fighting, win." He noted that before the two clashes, he spoke with General Tea Seyha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Cambodia, requesting the withdrawal of troops because they didn't want to fight or shed blood. He believed other methods could resolve the issue, but the Cambodian troop did not withdraw. "We must prepare ourselves and be ready for battle," General Nattapol said. He added, "Regarding the first clash, I felt our readiness wasn't complete. So I told the Army, 'Let's just do this much for now, and then we'll come back and fully prepare.' By the second clash, I was confident we were ready, so we let it continue until a certain point was deemed sufficient. In military terms, when a higher command assigns a mission to capture objectives 1-2-3, if the subordinate unit captures them, the mission is considered complete. However, sometimes the subordinate unit suggests targets 4 and 5 as well. The higher command says, 'That's enough.' That's the military approach, and I want the media to understand that."

Regarding any current concerns, General Nattapol said he wasn't worried at all, especially about the border situation. However, he mentioned another project nearing completion: increasing the compensation for company, battalion, and regimental sergeants. Due to the dissolution of parliament, this couldn't be implemented, and the government stated that approving the compensation would bind the new government, so it was postponed. Lieutenant General Adul seems to agree with this approach. Because this will involve taking care of lower-ranking personnel, who are the backbone of the army—non-commissioned officers and sergeants—we are considering this matter. It doesn't require much money, but it's about boosting morale. The matter at the Ministry of Defense level is complete; it has now been sent to the Ministry of Finance. However, since this matter is binding on the new Cabinet, we are postponing the decision to the new Cabinet. I am confident that Lieutenant General Adul will agree, as he is a former sergeant major and understands the plight of sergeants and non-commissioned officers.

General Nattapol further stated that in past combat, the soldiers who died were sergeants and corporals, which saddened him because he doesn't want to see such losses. He cited the example of the US operation in Venezuela, where there were no casualties, indicating a vast difference in combat power. In contrast, in Thailand's two combat operations, during his time as deputy minister and later as minister, a total of 42 personnel died. He expressed his sorrow but considered the mission successful, emphasizing that when soldiers must fight, they don't think about losses. His primary concern is always avoiding combat altogether and minimizing losses, but if combat becomes necessary We won't think about that anymore, because every soldier must sacrifice their life for the nation.

General Natthaphol further stated, "Thank you to the media. I have adhered to the correct approach in resolving problems, using wisdom and intellect. Using force is the last resort. My principle is, 'Win without fighting, but when we fight, we must win.'"

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong