Former army chief and 2006 coup leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin has called on the military not to focus too much on the acquisition of weapons and said the government must stick to the roadmap for a return to democracy and elections.
Gen Sonthi on Sunday welcomed army chief Chalermchai Sitthisad and army top brass to his residence at the 11th Infantry Regiment King's Guard in Bangkok to celebrate his 71st birthday which falls Monday.
Gen Sonthi, who engineered the coup on Sept 19, 2006 to oust Thaksin Shinawatra, said he envisioned Thailand becoming the most prosperous nation in Asean and a leading country in Asia.
He added he also wished to see a safe, secure country with an improved economy and a better educated population, and urged the government to tackle problems affecting the country in a systemic manner.
For the armed forces, he said they should balance priorities. As well as national defence, he urged them to work for the benefit of the people, especially during national disasters.
"The forces should not focus too heavily on procuring weapons. They should buy what people need [to sustain their livelihood]," Gen Sonthi said.
Turning to the national roadmap, he said its targets are generally sound, and the government and National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) must meet their goals and do it quickly.
"The armed forces should make themselves loved by the people and look at what they can do to achieve that. If not, the military will have a hard time [running the country]," Gen Sonthi said.
Commenting on the future of the Matubhum Party, which he has led since 2009, the former army chief said the new constitution imposed many restrictions on small parties.
They have limited resources to set up primary votes to select potential candidates for the next general election, he said.
He also noted the small parties are waiting to see what they can make of the organic draft law on political parties, which is due for deliberation in the National Legislative Assembly.
"We're ready to contest the next election. But we must also see how accommodating the organic law is," he said.
Gen Sonthi said he has learned there could be many small parties entering the political scene in the next poll.
However, the draft organic law is not conducive to letting them grow due to various limitations they are likely to face once it is passed.
He said politicians were prepared to run in the poll if and when the government sets a clear date for the general election.
Gen Sonthi also dismissed speculation the Matubhum Party might join hands with former members of the dissolved National Reform Council to forge a political alliance ahead of the next election.
The NCPO should relax its ban on political activities to allow party members to hold meetings and prepare themselves for the poll, he said.
Matubhum won two seats, one in the party list and the other in the constituency system, in the 2011 general election.
It was among the parties in opposition during Yingluck Shinawatra's government.