The fraternal ties between Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon will be under more intense public scrutiny following the latter's public statement last Friday.
Although it was written to assure PPRP members, political observers say the open letter, written by the PPRP's team and screened by Gen Prawit before release, has thrown Gen Prayut under the bus.
In the letter, which came days after Gen Prayut joined the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, Gen Prawit vowed to lead the PPRP in the upcoming general election. The PPRP leader also explained how he came to take the helm at the PPRP.
Gen Prawit said he had no role in the 2014 coup led by Gen Prayut, who was then army commander. He agreed to join the military government as deputy prime minister and defence minister, hoping to restore the situation to normalcy.
Describing Gen Prayut as politically inexperienced, Gen Prawit said he set up the PPRP, then headed by Uttama Savanayana, to contest the 2019 poll and nominate Gen Prayut as the party's PM candidate as the latter wished.
While working in the present government, Gen Prawit said there were issues he both agreed and disagreed on with the cabinet, but he maintained silence out of political etiquette.
The PPRP leader said he did not have words to describe his feelings when Gen Prayut decided to leave PPRP to join the UTN, which was widely speculated as the premier's reserve party, and that he wished Gen Prayut success.
"I used to say the "three Pors" [referring to Gen Prawit, Gen Prayut and interior minister Gen Anupong Paojinda] are forever. Today, my feelings remain unchanged," he said.
Gen Prawit's statement is widely seen by many as a criticism of Gen Prayut's decision to leave the party that supported him, with some observers saying it suggests Gen Prayut's addiction to power.
Critics see it as a clear sign of widening cracks in their relationship, which should put to rest speculation that their departure is part of a political strategy and that the pair will reunite after the polls.
Several military officers have reportedly disagreed with Gen Prawit's move. While the content is critical of Gen Prayut, the letter also makes Gen Prawit look bad -- a big brother who turns against one of his own.
Rumours about the pair's separation started circulating during August-September last year when Gen Prayut was suspended as premier pending a Constitutional Court's ruling on his eight-year term limit.
The UTN, founded by Seksakol Atthawong, is closely linked to Gen Prayut, with Mr Seksakol saying the party had Gen Prayut's blessing. UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga reportedly helped develop the party after he allegedly failed to take the PPRP from Gen Prawit.
Gen Prayut was believed to have made the decision to leave the PPRP for the UTN at that time amid rumours that some PPRP members wished the court to make a ruling against him.
The prime minister was left without solid support in the PPRP after Gen Prawit's supporters managed to purge Mr Uttama and his associates from the party in the middle of 2020 and installed Gen Prawit, who was then party chief strategist, as the party leader in an uncontested race.
Gen Prayut and Gen Anupong were also criticised by PPRP members as staying aloof from party affairs, while tension increased last year when some PPRP members called on Gen Prayut to replace Gen Anupong with Gen Prawit.
The prime minister did not bow to the demand, and his decision is seen as a sign of his preparation to join the UTN.
While the PPRP asked for the return of two cabinet seats, Gen Prayut gave only one seat back and appointed Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana as a PM's Office Minister. Mr Thanakorn is believed to have joined him at the UTN.
Gen Prayut reportedly lacked confidence that the PPRP would fully back him as the prime minister in the next poll.
Key party figures were heard saying the party would not nominate Gen Prayut as a sole candidate due to his declining popularity and his term limit, observers said.
The ties between Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit are believed to have turned sour since an alleged plot by Capt Thamanat Prompow, the then secretary-general of the PPRP, failed to oust Gen Prayut from power. The removal of Capt Thamanat, who was known as Gen Prawit's right-hand man, is said to have upset Gen Prawit.
Moreover, Gen Prayut is said to fear that Gen Prawit may switch sides and join the Pheu Thai Party because the PPRP leader is in favour of the use of 100 in the calculation for party list seats.
The use of 100 is deemed favourable to big parties like Pheu Thai, while Gen Prayut himself supports the use of 500 in the calculation.
Gen Prawit has never rejected the idea of forming an alliance with Pheu Thai, while Capt Thamanat reportedly had a secret overseas meeting with the party's alleged de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra.
