Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang shows he has what it takes to blend in and work with the military despite having no military background.
He does not pose a threat to the military as the ties between the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the armed forces appear to be more relaxed, partly because Pheu Thai has befriended the military and conservative groups to prevent the Move Forward Party from coming to power, according to political pundits.
Convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is widely believed to be Pheu Thai's de facto leader, previously wanted to ensure the military does not pose a threat to the Pheu Thai-led government and has been formulating ways to prevent future coups.
The Thaksin administration was ousted in a coup on Sept 19, 2006, before the government led by Yingluck, his younger sister, faced a similar fate in a military putsch on May 22, 2014.
The Pheu Thai-led government has now been formed, but Thaksin still has no trust in the military after his experience of coups, military sources close to government affairs say.
So, he was keen to promote civilian oversight of the armed forces within the new government and dampen the influence of the "three brothers in arms", the sources said.
The trio -- also known as the "Three Por" generals -- refers to former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Palang Pracharath Party leader and former deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon, and former interior minister Anupong Paojinda, along with their influence over Thai politics.
The sources said Mr Sutin was appointed to take the helm at the Defence Ministry because Pheu Thai wanted to build an image of a civilian government without any military officers in the cabinet.
But the military regarded Mr Sutin's appointment as a slight given that Mr Sutin has no background in military or security affairs, the sources said, adding that no deputy defence minister was appointed, either.
However, Pheu Thai agreed to meet the armed forces halfway by allowing Gen Natthapol Nakpanich, a former secretary-general of the National Security Council and a close associate of Gen Prayut, to serve as secretary to the defence minister, the sources said.
Soft stance
However, after almost four months in office, Mr Sutin appears to be taking a soft stance towards the military rather than trying to exert control, observers said.
Mr Sutin is the first civilian to take the post of defence minister who does not concurrently serve as prime minister.
Despite having no military background, Mr Sutin shows that he sympathises with the military and on occasion has lept to their defence, such as when he clarified the military budget allocations during a recent parliamentary session, prompting many to describe him as a spokesman of the Defence Ministry.
"I am happy working with the military. Initially, I was not sure if I could get on with them. But I later found the military shows respect for me and treats me well despite me having little knowledge about the military," Mr Sutin said.
According to sources at the Defence Ministry, Mr Sutin is a salt-of-the-earth type who makes little fuss.
Compared to his predecessors, the defence minister is more approachable as he also tries to reach out more to military personnel by visiting units in the provinces.
On Dec 26, Mr Sutin also attended a concert held to promote voluntary military recruitment at the office of the permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry in Nonthaburi's Pak Kret district.
During the concert, Mr Sutin also appeared on the stage and sang to entertain the audience, demonstrating his accessibility, the sources said.
With kind gestures towards the military, Mr Sutin is often criticised for trying to please the military instead of pushing for reform such as replacing compulsory conscription with voluntary recruitment, one of Pheu Thai's election pledges, the sources said.
But Mr Sutin argued the Defence Ministry already has a plan for phasing out compulsory conscription by encouraging more voluntary enlistment, which will be carried out in stages.
Each year, about 80,000–90,000 soldiers are required. Of them, about 40,000–50,000 are drafted into military service while about 40,000 volunteer to join, the sources said.
The ministry plans to attract more volunteers from this year and compulsory conscription is expected to be replaced with voluntary recruitment by 2027, the sources said.
No real power?
However, Mr Sutin does not have full authority over the Defence Ministry as Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin still oversees security affairs without delegating such authority to any of his deputy prime ministers, the sources said.
The prime minister is also director of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), chairman of the National Security Council, and oversees the National Intelligence Agency which reports to the Prime Minister's Office.
Most importantly, Mr Srettha maintains close ties with Chief of Defence Forces Gen Songwit Noonpakdee, the sources said, adding that often the prime minister prefers to discuss military affairs directly with Gen Songwit to ensure quick results rather than holding separate talks with the army, navy and air force commanders.
However, the sources noted the chief of defence forces has limited powers in the armed forces as he does not control combat units, unlike the commanders of the army, navy and air force.
Mr Srettha previously insisted he would not disband the Isoc and the agency would be enlisted to support relief operations to help people.
His remarks that Isoc will remain intact is another pointer to the healthy relations between the government and the military, the sources said.
"Many military personnel believe it is Mr Srettha and Thaksin who actually oversee the armed forces, not Mr Sutin," the sources added.
However, Mr Srettha cannot make decisions on military affairs alone as many believe Thaksin still has a final say, the sources said.
All eyes are also on whether Mr Sutin will serve as defence minister perhaps only briefly during a transition from the previous military-led government to the civilian government led by Pheu Thai, before a former military officer eventually succeeds him under a deal between Pheu Thai and the conservative groups, the sources said.
But if Mr Sutin measures up and can strengthen ties between the government and the military further, he may be able to remain longer at the helm of defence minister, the sources said.