Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha broke his silence on Tuesday after his name was mentioned as a possible interim prime minister by a red shirt leader.
Army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha: Mr Nattawut should pay attention to his own legal cases. (AP photo)
Gen Prayuth did not enjoy the mention that the army chief might become prime minister, made by Nattawut Saikuar, secretary-general of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). On Monday, Mr Nattawut named ''suspected'' candidates for a prime minister. The army chief was on the list, although below former defence minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.
He criticised the UDD secretary-general for violating the private life of others, and causing them trouble.
''Gen Prawit was also annoyed after seeing the name on the list,'' the army commander claimed.
As for the actual list: "It is absolutely (Mr Nattawut's) own analysis and speculation without any reasonable ground to support it,'' the army chief said.
''Does he have authority to appoint (an interim prime minister)?,'' he asked. He urged Mr Nattawut to pay attention to clearing all his own legal cases before getting involved with future politics.
A member of the last government and currently caretaker deputy commerce minister, Mr Nattawut, is among red-shirt leaders facing terrorism charges over leading supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to bloody street rallies in 2010, when the government was led by Democrat prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Other names floated by Mr Nattawut on his list of possible new prime ministers included Privy Councillor Palakorn Suwannarat, (listed as most likely) former premier Anand Panyarachun, former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai, Amata Corporation founder Vikhom Kromadit, former foreign minister Arsa Sarasin, MR Pridiyathorn Devakula and Somkid Jatusripitak. MR Pridiyathorn and Mr Somkid are former deputy prime ministers and finance ministers.
Gen Prayuth would likely become prime minister in case of a military coup, in Mr Nattawut's opinion. On Tuesday, he promised to reveal a second list, this time of the preferred cabinet and parliament members if the People's Democratic Reform Committee and its leader Suthep Thaugsuban get their way .