"Naming" candidates for the position of Commander of the Thai Army

Following the formation of the Legislative Assembly, Thailand will select a new Prime Minister and Cabinet to run a caretaker government for about a year before a general election can be held.

Thai media has long been talking about General Prayuth Chan-ocha, head of the military government, becoming Prime Minister for two reasons: to continue the policies set by the coup makers, and to smoothly transfer the position of Army Commander to someone he trusts.

Thai soldiers. Illustrative photo. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Prayuth will retire at the end of September, the second military reshuffle of the year. There are two more candidates who could be appointed to the post: Deputy Army Commander Udomdej Sitabutr and Assistant Army Commanders Paiboon Koomchaya and Chatchai Sarikalaya.

Among them are two of Mr Prayuth's closest associates, Udomdej and Paiboon, two generals who also play major roles in the military government.

If one of these two figures becomes Army Commander, the other will take over the position of Supreme Commander or Commander-in-Chief held by General Tanasak Patimaprakorn or the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense.

However, in the first military reshuffle (April 2014), two generals close to Mr. Prawit Wongsuwan, advisors to the current military government, Sirichai Dittakul and Worapong Sa-nganet, were both promoted to prepare for important positions.

Sirichai is expected to take over as permanent secretary of defense, while Worapong could take over as supreme commander. In this case, Udomdej could become army commander, Paiboon as deputy army commander, and Chatchai as advisor to the army commander.

Mr Prawit was a former army chief and a senior commander of General Prayuth. He is currently at the top of the Eastern Tigers list, of which Mr Prayuth is a member.

General Udomdej is also in the same group as Mr Prayuth. It is very likely that Mr Prayuth will choose him as his successor. However, Paiboon has also played a significant role since the recent military coup and if he is not selected, he may move to the position of Deputy Defense Minister, with the rank of General.

Another option that has been floated is that General Udomdej will take over from Mr Prayuth, while Paiboon will become permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defense and Chatchai will take over as deputy army commander. And this choice may be the most appropriate as General Prayuth is trying to consolidate leadership positions in the Thai military./.

According to VNA