Thai junta leader gets Singapore award

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SINGAPORE, Aug 17 (AFP): Singapore on Friday awarded its top military honour to the leader of Thailand's military junta, who seized power in a coup last year.
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the commander in chief of the Thai army, received the Meritorious Service Medal for his role in enchancing "strong ties" between the Thai and Singaporean armies, the defence ministry here said.
Sonthi had previously angered Singapore when he suggested that the city-state could be using telecom satellites Thailand had sold Singapore to eavesdrop on private conversations of the Thai military.
He ordered military officials to give up their cell phones in favour of walkie-talkies to prevent any espionage, and suggested the Thai government should take back the four satellites.
Singapore had strongly denied the eavesdropping allegations.
But Friday, the Singapore defence ministry praised Sonthi for his contributions to enhancing military links.