Gen Prayuth, erratic and worrisome | Bangkok Post: opinion

The army chief's latest move, to put troops on full alert in anticipation of possible chaos after the July 3 election, is more likely to cause confusion and apprehension rather than helping to ease the tension and worries.

One blunder leads to another blunder… and another…

Yes, I am referring to the conduct of Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army commander-in-chief, in the past two weeks, which seems to be erratic and worrisome.

It started about two weeks ago when the army chief, apparently not in a good mood, lashed out at the conduct of a Pheu Thai candidate in Bangkok’s Constituency 9, Pairoj Issaraseripong, for allegedly obstructing the drug suppression operations of members of the Task Force 315 unit at Sap Charoen housing estate on May 23.

He also threatened to send more troops from the joint police unit into the housing estate, or into slums in Constituency 9, if the Pheu Thai candidate, whom he did not name, again tried to obstruct the unit’s operations.

As the most senior ranking officer in the army there was no need whatsoever for Gen Prayuth to go public and engage in a spat with Mr Pairoj, who does not hold any significant position in the Pheu Thai Party other than being an election candidate.

The army spokesman, Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, had already criticised Mr Pairoj over the incident at Sap Charoen housing estate and red-shirt core member Natthawat Saikua, who also joined in the spat.

National army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha