"It's another [big] headache," said Yongyuth Mayalarp, the government's chief spokesman, shortly after MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, the deputy premier and finance minister, called it quits prematurely on Wednesday.

Yongyuth, 49, a medical doctor by training, has found the top government public relations job quite stressful over the past five months largely because of the unsettled political situation and increased criticism against the interim administration of General Surayud Chulanont.

"It's tough as we stepped in [right after the coup in September of last year]. It's not a normal situation. I was asked by General Pongthep Thep-prateep, the prime minister's secretary-general, to take this job. It's kind of not possible to say no," says Yongyuth whose father, General Sukij Mayalarp, was an Army general and a former minister.

"As an interim government, there're several handicaps, including the absence of members of parliament in the provinces to serve as the bridge between the government and the grass-roots population," adds Yongyuth, who reached the rank of Army captain while serving as a doctor at the army-run King Mongkut Hospital.

Yongyuth earned his medical degree from London Hospital's medical college in 1983 and spent a total of 14 years studying and working in the UK.

His professional turning point came in 1989 when Yongyuth, a gastroenterologist, returned home and registered for an examination that would grant him a licence to practice in Thailand.

"I was waiting for the license. One day I heard an ad on Radio Thailand seeking an English news announcer so I decided to apply for the part-time job so that I could continue to use the language regularly.

"Afterwards, I fell in love with the mass media, while continuing to practice medicine. After completing a four-year stint at King Mongkut Hospital, I joined the privately-owned Vipavadee Hospital. In fact, I love both. In medicine, I feel great while helping people, but the work is also stressful and you're on call around the clock.

"As for the mass media, it's fun, but being the government's chief spokesman isn't. I'm especially proud of doing a series of 1,400 brief pieces of analysis on world affairs on TV over a period of five years from 2002 to 2006 until I was asked to join the government.

"My presentation style is rather subtle since I like the audience to think for themselves. I hate to force them," he says.

On Thai politics, Yongyuth's opinion is that the political scene remains polarised more than five months following the coup d'etat that ousted Thaksin Shinawatra.

As a result, reconciliatory politics is still an uphill task, as evidenced by the sharp criticism against Prime Minister Surayud when he tried to bring in Somkid Jatusripitak, a former Thaksin aide, as an economic adviser.

Somkid tendered his resignation as head of a special team to clarify the government's economic policy abroad because of the strong opposition voiced by the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy.

Overall, Yongyuth has faced many challenges over the past months, including early speculation that he wasn't up to the job.

"Thai politics and society are rather baffling to me. First, many people like to pre-judge and, thus, demoralise others. Instead, they should give more moral support to this interim government. Second, many Thais like quick results and tend to be hot-tempered. Third, they like scapegoats. In my view, such politics is not constructive so I don't think I will ever become a politician after completing my work in the next seven months or so," says Yongyuth.

Yongyuth looks forwards to the day his job is over and he can return to his previous media job and practice medicine once again.

Nophakhun Limsamarnphun

nop1122@yahoo.com