The military regime has lashed out at its critics, particularly Pheu Thai politicians, for commenting on events in Turkey to undermine the Thai military, saying the political contexts in the two nations are entirely different.
The regime's warning comes after several Pheu Thai politicians and red-shirt leaders voiced their opinions about the foiled coup attempt in Turkey, zeroing in on public resistance against the putsch.
, said the critics had nothing new to offer, and simply intend to capitalise on the event to confuse or mislead the public.
However, Col Winthai said most Thais see through their intentions and are aware of Thailand's unique political situation that led to the May 22, 2014 coup.
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"I believe most people can tell what the critics' intention is. I also believe most people in and outside the country know what we were going through and know that our situation is different from other countries. But, some might have forgotten," he said.
According to Col Winthai, when comparing the two events, one should not give information without taking into consideration the social context.
Speaking after returning from Mongolia, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said coup critics should avoid comparing the events in Turkey with the Thai coup.
He said the situations differed and he seized power because the previous government could not function.
Gen Prayut, then army commander, took control of the country after talks between the pro- and anti-government camps to settle the country's protracted political conflict failed.
Prior to the 2014 coup, Thai politics had witnessed a six-month standoff between the Pheu Thai government backed by the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and the demonstrators of the then People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) led by former Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban after the PDRC began street protests in November 2013.
According to Gen Prayut, the attempted coup in Turkey is an internal affair that the Turkish government will deal with. He said he was sorry for the loss of life during the attempted putsch.
Gen Prayut added he had asked the Thai embassy in Turkey to look after Thais there and provide assistance to those who want to return home.
Watana Muangsook, a key Pheu Thai politician and staunch critic of the regime, praised the Turkish public for standing up against the putsch. In his Facebook post titled "Thai Dictator, Beware", Mr Watana also commended Turkish opposition parties he described as "the enemies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan" for nonetheless denouncing the coup attempt.
He called on Thais to be patient with what he called the regime's excessive use of power, saying they could bring about change by voting in the Aug 7 charter referendum.
"The people's power will show if they want democracy or want to be under the NCPO's hold. If the charter fails, the regime will not be able to use power at will," he wrote.
"I always believe if the people say no, troops and tanks can't win. The Turkish people's fight is proof that dictatorship can't win," he wrote on Facebook.
Former Pheu Thai education minister Chaturon Chaisaeng wrote on Facebook that events in Turkey indicate the people's power is the strongest power against a military takeover.
UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan, via Facebook Live, told his audience the foiled coup in Turkey is an important lesson for both pro-democracy advocates and coup-makers.
In his broadcast he said he hoped the public would distinguish between democracy and dictatorship during the Aug 7 vote. The red-shirt leader stressed he would prefer an "incomplete democracy where power lies with the people" instead of full democracy that comes with a coup-sponsored charter.
Bangkok residents stop to take a selfie at a military checkpoint in central Bangkok on May 27, 2014, 13 days after the army putsch. (Post Today photo) Below: Algerian tourists stop on Saturday at Taksim Square in Istanbul to take a selfie in front of an abandoned tank, left after the thwarted military coup. (Reuters photo)
