Army commander Gen Apirat Kongsompong took a swipe at anti-government elements, which are increasingly hounding Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on an almost daily basis, while chatting with army cadets on the occasion of the 133rd anniversary of the founding of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy on Aug 5.
Without naming names, he asked some cadets who returned recently from a joint exercise with US troops in Hawaii whether they were worried about Covid-19 while they were there.
Then he told the cadets that Covid-19 is curable, but not the chung chart disease (disease of hate against the nation) which is incurable because there is no vaccine yet.
He said the only remedy for the disease is to instil in the minds of Thais, especially our youth, a sense of unity and patriotism.
The wording, chung chart (literally means hate the nation), is divisive rhetoric used by the self-proclaimed ultra-nationalists such as former Democrat MP Warong Dejkitvigrom and well-known columnist Plew See-ngern to describe people like Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul and Pannika Wanich, of the now-defunct Future Forward Party.
Dr Warong used to define chung chart people as those who cause damage to the country; who do not recognise the judicial system and who usher in foreigners to interfere in the internal affairs of Thailand.
His definition fits "the trio" of the Kao Na (Progressive) movement, a group formed by Mr Thanathorn following the FFP dissolution.
The term is frequently used by ultraroyalist Rienthong Nanna, director of Mongkutwattana hospital, who is known for his controversial Rubbish Collection Organisation that targets those with different political ideologies.
Gen Apirat's use of the wording, chung chart disease, with the army cadets shows his insensitivity to the divisive nature of this rhetoric which may influence the minds of these cadets no less than the old rhetoric, nak paendin (burden of the land).
That term was used by extreme right-wingers to describe leftist students shortly before the Oct 6, 1976 brutal crackdown on pro-democracy students who rallied at Thammasat University against the return of exiled Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn and his clique.
It was the time the country plunged into deep divisiveness.
Political activist Sombat Boonngamanong told a panel discussion on the subject of "chung chart" at Thammasat University in December last year that the wording was coined as a political tool to eliminate political enemies.
Speaking at the forum, independent academic Chaipat Chanvilai said that accusing someone of being "chung chart" is a serious allegation.
He said that people who oppose the government; oppose its handling of the economy or who speak ill in regard to almost everything about the government should not be lumped together as "chung chart" people.
What about people or officials who proclaim themselves as patriots but who, behind the scenes, are the most corrupt? Should these people be called "chung chart" or patriots?
In his opinion, Mr Chaipat believes people should have the right to express their patriotism in their own ways and there should not be one uniform way of patriotic expression like serving in an army.
Defying the Constitutional Court's ruling dissolving the Future Forward Party should not brand its former leader, Thanathorn, as "chung chart" when he believes sincerely that the ruling was politically motivated and he was not fairly treated by the powers-that-be.
Or in the case of Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, the FFP former secretary-general, who seems to be profoundly impressed with the 1789 French revolution and the 1932 Siamese revolution, should he be branded "chung chart"?
As student activism is picking up to put pressure on the government to meet the activists' demand for a new charter, parliament's dissolution and a stop to government harassment and intimidation, the army chief or other senior government officials should be more discreet in the use of such rhetoric.
Or they should avoid it altogether to prevent adding fuel to the fire.
There is already so much mutual hate among Thais in society -- the leftover of the political divide between pro-Thaksin and anti-Thaksin camps.
Veera Prateepchaikul is former editor, Bangkok Post.