ICT minister finds himself in the hot seat as digital push falters v Yingluck's lawyer slams rice-damage panel over compensation leak v Prayut and Prem are not two peas in a pod, but comparisons are inevitable
A poorconnection
The government's initiative to develop Thailand as a gateway for startup companies in Indochina has seen two cabinet ministers spring into action.
Information and Communication Technology Minister Uttama Savanayana and Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj have paired up to promote the "Startup Thailand & Digital Thailand" concept.
The scheme, aimed at raising awareness about the huge potential of the digital economy for young Thai entrepreneurs, is turning the country into a hot-spot for startups as the government plans to set up a 20-billion-baht fund to support start-up communities.
Three forums for "Startup Thailand & Digital Thailand" have been organised so far -- in Bangkok in May under the concept "Unite to Rise"; Chiang Mai in early August under the "Regional Rise" theme; and in Khon Kaen on Aug 26-28 under the concept of "Mekong Connects with the Neighbouring Countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam". The final one is to be held in Phuket during Sept 16-18 under the theme "On the Beach to Reflect Phuket as an International Startup Community".
In a recent media interview at the "Mekong Connects" forum, Mr Uttama described himself and Mr Pichet as a "startup-digital duo" who will be working together for a long time. The two ministries are the key driving force in pushing forward the Thai economy as part of the concept of Thailand 4.0 to produce an innovation-based economy.
While these three events went over extremely well, especially "Mekong Connects" which was observed by senior government figures from neighbouring countries, some political observers are not quite sure about Mr Uttama's remark.
Word is spreading that the "duo" may have to part company if a cabinet shake-up takes place, and it is Mr Uttama's fate that could hang in balance.
There are whispers that a deputy prime minister overseeing the ICT Ministry is not pleased with Mr Uttama's performance. The ministry is believed to have been found wanting when it comes to catching up with the rapid changes in technology to facilitate the move to the digital economy.
The digital economy, also known as Digital Thailand, is a flagship policy of the Prayut Chan-o-cha government that is striving to take full advantage of information and communication technology in as many spheres of economic and social activity as possible.
There are a lot of projects under the digital economy including the Food Innopolis scheme, which is hailed as an innovation and development centre tasked with increasing the value of the country's crops.
Mr Pichet, meanwhile, is said to have revelled in the success of National Science Week which was held during Aug 18-28 and is believed to have drawn over one million visitors. The exhibition was designed to spark inspiration and creativity to turn the country into a high-value economy.
Moreover, it is believed that Mr Uttama was not the first choice to lead the ICT Ministry in last year's cabinet reshuffle. Before the ICT post was handed to Mr Uttama, Thaweesak Koanantakool, director of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), was tipped as a strong candidate. However, Mr Thaweesak was keen on completing his tenure at the NSTDA.
Now that Mr Thaweeksak has finished his term at NSTDA, there could be soon be a vacancy at the ICT Ministry, and he could be offered a chance to fill it.
Mr Thaweesak is said to be one of the key figures in the government's digital economy initiative.
Damages control
The lawyer representing ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra recently submitted a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha through the Government House's complaints centre asking him to look into an alleged leak of information from the committee pursuing liabilities against wrongdoers in her administration's rice-pledging scheme.
Lawyer Noppadon Laothong wants Gen Prayut to investigate the committee over the alleged leak of the committee's findings into the rice case. He claims efforts are being made to interfere in the committee's probe.
Manas Jamveha, the director-general of the Comptroller-General's Department, who chairs the committee, previously revealed that the panel was making evaluations to seek compensation from Ms Yingluck Shinawatra for damages in the rice scheme and it expected to reach a conclusion this month.
However, ex-Democrat Party MP for Phitsanulok Warong Dechgitvigrom claimed that the committee has substantially cut the rice-loss bill from 178 billion baht to only 35.71 billion baht, even though the committee has not yet wrapped up its probe, Mr Noppadon said.
Dr Warong had revealed the figures to the media, which gave people the impression that he might have obtained inside information from the committee, raising suspicion of a leak of the committee's findings, Mr Noppadon said.
The lawyer also said he suspected that the panel's probe might have been influenced by people from outside.
If the information Dr Warong provided to the media turns out be true, this means the committee has been negligent in stopping leaks, Mr Nappadon said.
Previously, Dr Warong, who has been relentless in his efforts to expose irregularities in the rice scheme, had urged the prime minister to pay close attention to the outcome of the findings.
He said he had obtained "reliable inside information" that the figures of Ms Yingluck's liability for compensation would be heavily reduced.
Dr Warong's statement had produced the result he desired as Gen Prayut ordered the chief of the Comptroller-General's Department to be more prudent in working on the figures.
This seemed to mollify Dr Warong who he took to his Facebook to thank Gen Prayut for giving close attention to the case.
Dr Warong also urged the department chief to explain two issues further.
The first is why the panel has decided that Ms Yingluck would be liable only for damages incurred from three out of five growing seasons under her administration's rice-pledging scheme.
Dr Warong said the panel's argument that Ms Yingluck only learned about the damages at the start of the third growing season was incomprehensible.
The opposition Democrat Party had scrutinised the rice scheme and sounded the alarm on the alleged irregularities even in the early stages of the programme, he said.
Dr Warong also wanted the department chief to explain why the panel has decided to cut the rice loss bill by a huge margin. He wondered who would be made to cover the losses if Ms Yingluck was not liable.
"The figures for Ms Yingluck's liability for the losses are important and will go down in Thai political history. This will remind political parties not to issue any policies that cause damage to the country," Dr Warong said.
A general discussion
Comparisons have been made between Prayut Chan-o-cha and Prem Tinsulanonda, the two retired generals who wield the most power in the country today.
Efforts to draw a parallel by several observers may be intended to find out whether Gen Prayut is fit to return as an non-elected prime minister in the future, especially as he is riding a wave of popularity at the moment.
Now that the hullabaloo surrounding the Senate being given a joint role with MPs in selecting a prime minister has subsided, some political insiders are weighing in on the possibility of Gen Prayut having a second tilt at the premiership after the next general election.
This is despite the premier dismissing outright calls for him to stay in power via the so-called "Prem Model", a reference to the Privy Council president serving as non-elected leader for eight years starting in 1980.
Gen Prayut is certainly aware of public admiration for him and his leadership. His supporters are entertaining the thought of him being put on a political party list of prime ministerial candidates after the election.
Although distinctions have been drawn between him and Gen Prem, observers still envision a "second Prem" taking over and remaining in power for many years.
Gen Prayut comes across as being less cool, calm and collected as Gen Prem. He struggles to keep his emotions in check, while Gen Prem is taciturn and not very expressive, even when peeved.
He admits he may be too talkative. On many occasions, he rules the stage and clings to the podium as he delivers a speech for over an hour, sometimes unscripted.
However, he understands that being too verbose can backfire. His opponents had a field day when he said that if no capable or good candidate could be found to become prime minister, he would be open to negotiation.
The critics have been speculating hard on the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) trying to prolong its hold on power through Gen Prayut being in parliament.
Character-wise, Gen Prayut and Gen Prem may be worlds apart, but there are similarities. Both have avoided being a direct target of corruption allegations and their allegiance to the royal institution is unassailable.
They have also coined their own taglines: for Gen Prayut, it is "Country First", whereas Gen Prem is known for the phrase "Paying back the country".
The differences between the two in terms of looks and how they conduct themselves in public are only cosmetic, observers say. But Gen Prem was invited by political parties to head the government, whereas Gen Prayut came to power through the 2014 coup.
The critics agree Gen Prayut could follow in Gen Prem's footsteps, provided he takes a leaf out of the statesman's book and learns to be tactful and compromising when the circumstances warrant it. It is not easy dealing with politicians under democratic rules, and Gen Prayut will find that out if he decides to become a post-election prime minister.
Since the draft charter and additional question were approved in the Aug 7 referendum, support for Gen Prayut from members of the National Legislative Assembly and the National Reform Steering Assembly has grown.
His supporters are convinced Gen Prayut enjoys the backing of the majority of people who are less concerned about the process to select a leader than getting someone who can maintain peace and order.
But political observers stress that the best policy for Gen Prayut is for him to be himself. At least, that would speak of honesty.