Cadet Pongpeera Disapirom of Thailand. PDI
FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City鈥擟adet听Pongpeera听Disapirom听of Thailand on Saturday was formally incorporated into the Philippine Military Academy here as a full-fledged cadet belonging to Class of 2018.
But听Disapirom, 19, did not draw much attention during the rites attended by Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando听Iriberri.
Maj. Gen. Oscar Lopez, PMA superintendent, said he was certain听Pongpeera听was keenly aware that the Thai Army chief had seized power in his country on Thursday while Thailand鈥檚 political parties negotiated a peaceful settlement following the court-directed ouster of Prime Minister听Yingluck听Shinawatra.
Lopez said he had not discussed the matter with the cadet, 鈥渨ho was busy with activities at beast barracks for the last two months.鈥�
Pongpeera鈥檚听parents,听Samrueng听and听Alele听Hara, joined him for a late lunch at the picnic grounds along with the other plebes.
Plebes are the lowest ranking cadets who take orders from the senior cadets at the academy.
Pongpeera听was a cadet at the听Chulachomklao听Royal Military Academy of the Royal Thai Army when he accepted an invitation to join the PMA, according to the Department of National Defense (DND).
The DND said听Pongpeera听鈥渏oins a distinguished list of Thai alumni of PMA, including Gen.听Tumrongsak听Deemongkol听(Class 1976), who was the No. 8 graduate of his batch; Gen.听Thawip听Netniyom听(Class 1981), who graduated valedictorian and is now a senior staff officer of the Chief Defense Forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces; and Maj.听Mongkol听Khum-arwut听(Class 2001), who is with the Royal Thai Army.鈥�
Pongpeera听had taken a preparatory course before joining the PMA, said Thai Army Col.听Pongsak听Munklhan, one of the two Thai military attaches who escorted the cadet鈥檚 parents to Baguio City, adding that the cadet was 鈥渓ike the new generation of young people who know English well.鈥�
Pongsak听said the foreign cadet exchange programs were expressions of cooperation being advocated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
鈥淎nd [Cadet听Pongpeera] is doing quite well,鈥� he said.
Iriberri听said incorporation day marks the start of the PMA academic year, which plebes should cherish because they now belong to the academy.
Iriberri听cautioned the cadets about resting on their laurels, saying that every action they take at the academy and in the military service after graduation would be 鈥渆xamined through a prism by the public, much like the academy has been scrutinized time and again.鈥�
Early this year, the PMA was criticized for dismissing a graduating cadet who was accused by a jury of his peers of lying, a violation of the academy鈥檚 honor system.鈥�痴颈苍肠别苍迟听颁补产谤别锄补听
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