Prawit has been trying to distance himself from the 2014 coup over the past few weeks. It began with the infamous ‘he did it’ photo when he pointed his finger at Prayut during a censure debate in July 2022 and said that it was Prayut who conducted the coup, not him.
To his credit (or discredit), Prayut raised his hand and defiantly said it was his idea to overthrow an elected government.
But that doesn’t take away from Prawit’s actions. And over the last several weeks we have seen why.
It seems that the one-time general is determined to rebrand himself as some kind of reconciliation candidate, hoping that people forget his role both in the coup in 2014 and the red-shirt crackdown in 2010.
In his first Facebook post to the public on January 13, Prawit stated that it was Prayut who thought of the coup and it was Prayut’s idea to continue to stay in power by setting up the pro-military PPRP. Prawit said he was just helping his erstwhile military colleague.
Even more insulting, was his post yesterday when he urged Thai people to “move beyond conflict”.
What a rich statement coming from the real mastermind behind the 2014 coup.
Anyone who has had a conversation with Prayut knows that he can barely plan his meals much less a complicated putsch involving hundreds of military officers, politicians, and the judiciary.
Prawit claiming he wants reconciliation and offering a way out is gaslighting to the extreme.
If anything, the coup that Prawit propagated has deepened the divide in Thai society and has caused nothing but more political conflict and more political injuries and death.
Prawit concluded yesterday’s post by saying he used to share a similar belief to the “elite group” of the people in power who believe that a coup is the only way to stop “untrustworthy” politicians to come into power.
However, Prawit said he changed his mind after the set up of the PPRP and worked with politicians for the past four years and now he believes that in a democratic society, the people should be able to choose who will lead the country.
This is from the same person who chose the appointed senate. The same person who borrows expensive watches from rich friends to wear (allegedly, cynics will say the timepieces are bribes).
Prawit said the “elite group” or the “conservative authoritarian regime” might try to set up a party to try and compete in an election but they will always lose to “liberal democratic” parties because the former is not as in touch with the people as the latter.
Does he forget the PDRC protesters he employed and coaxed to usher in the last coup?
Prawit thinks that the Thai people are stupid enough to believe his bull. Don’t let him get away with it.