Army chief Udomdej Sitabutr has now nominated assistant army chief Thirachai Nakwanich as his successor while another assistant army chief Preecha Chan-o-cha will become the defence permanent secretary, a ministry source says.
The source said Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon had suggested to Gen Udomdej that Gen Thirachai is more suited to the army chief post given his solid military background.
The source said Gen Prawit has already discussed the matter with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Speculation was rife over the next army chief as lists of names for military promotions were reportedly sent to an army personnel committee led by Gen Prawit for consideration.
Gen Udomdej, who retires as army chief at the end of September, is known to support Gen Preecha — Gen Prayut’s younger brother — as the next army chief, whereas Gen Prawit is believed to back Gen Thirachai, another potential candidate vying for the top army post, the source said.
Gen Udomdej, who is also deputy defence minister, now has to put aside his personal preference for Gen Preecha, and has to act on the instructions of Gen Prawit who is his superior, the source said.
Gen Prawit yesterday chaired a meeting to consider the military reshuffle at the Defence Ministry.
Speaking after the meeting, Supreme Commander Worapong Sanganate only said the meeting had proceeded smoothly and urged all sides to stop speculating about the reshuffle lists until the approved changes are officially announced.
A source at the meeting said Gen Prawit had not made any changes to the military nominations submitted by the armed forces leaders. Gen Thirachai has been nominated as the new army chief and Gen Preecha as the new defence permanent secretary, the source said.
Before his promotion as assistant army chief, Gen Thirachai served as commander of the 1st Army, which controls key military combat units in Bangkok and the Central region. These units played a key role in staging the May 22 coup last year.
็็He was also put in charge of the Peace and Order Maintaining Force set up immediately after the coup.
In terms of seniority, Gen Thirachai is from Class 14 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and Gen Preecha is from Class 15 of the same institution.
Gen Preecha is an ex-commander of the 3rd Army, which oversees security in the North.
Appointing Gen Thirachai as army chief should also help cushion Gen Prayut against any allegations of nepotism, the source said.
Both Gen Preecha and Gen Thirachai retire on Sept 30 next year. The pair are from the powerful Burapha Phayak (Tigers of the East) military clique.
If Gen Thirachai is promoted to be the next army chief, he will be the fourth consecutive army chief from Burapha Phayak, following in the footsteps of Gen Anupong Paojinda, who is now the Interior Minister, Gen Prayut and Gen Udomdej.
The source also said the mid-year military reshuffle will also see many hopeful figures waiting in line for leadership of the army over the next few years.
Among them is Gen Phisit Sitthisarn, director of the Centre for Reconciliation and Reform, which was set up by the National Council for Peace and Order to heal the political divide.
In the upcoming reshuffle, Gen Phisit, who also has close ties with Gen Prawit, is expected to be promoted to be assistant army chief which will qualify him as a potential candidate for the top army post. He will retire in 2017.