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Published on September 5, 2007

The naming of the new Army commander-in-chief has kept the nation in suspense, but unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. The publicity surrounding the nomination has been blown out of proportion simply because it seems as if General Sonthi Boonyaratglin wants to wait until the last minute to unveil his successor.

Sonthi is scheduled to finalise the military line-up no later than next week, even though he could have completed the job some two weeks ago, or earlier. This apparent delay is occurring despite the fact that he has been consulting with relevant authorities to pick a suitable candidate to carry the Army's torch since July.

For more than a century, the appointment of successive Army commanders and holders of other key military positions has been under the royal powers of His Majesty the King as prescribed by every charter. The prime minister is designated to countersign and assume responsibility for the royal command on the military line-up. Outgoing military chiefs, including Sonthi, are entitled to nominate their successors but have never had the final say on the issue.

The military's nomination process is very straightforward, yet rumours have persisted linking every military rotation to myriad political scenarios, ranging from the plausible to the outrageously unreasonable. This year rumourmongers have had a field day manipulating anxieties over the future of the coup leaders after they return power to an elected government.

Sonthi and his top generals should have acted more decisively to quell these rumours but have chosen instead to acquiesce as if they want to gain political mileage out of the military succession issue. Although Sonthi has dismissed every rumour that involved him, his rebuttals were often late and lukewarm.

The Army leadership is for and about the nation, the monarchy and the soldiers. No one should try to turn it into a springboard, or a base to fall back on, for political aspirations. If Sonthi and other coup-leaders want to enter politics, they are free to pursue their dreams just like any citizen but they must not abuse their offices to gain privileged access.

Around May, speculation gained momentum that Sonthi was contemplating extending his term in light of Army infighting. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont quelled the speculation before Sonthi issued his denial. Last week, the same speculation re-emerged even though anyone familiar with military procedure should know that it was too late for Sonthi to seek royal assent to extend his term.

Intentional leaks from military circles have portrayed a fierce race between three top contenders to succeed Sonthi - General Saprang Kalayanamitr, General Anupong Paochinda and General Montri Sangkasap. Saprang's supporters have fuelled the intrigue by claiming their favourite as a frontrunner because of a secret pact made in the lead-up to the September 19 coup.

It is understandable that as the outgoing military chief, Sonthi wants to remain in the Army's good graces following his retirement. But he should have strongly dispelled doubts about playing one favourite against another.

The Army is at a crucial juncture and must remove itself from the political scene following an intervention to resolve a leadership crisis. It needs articulate leadership for the march back to the barracks and not a temperamental leader poised to overreact at the slightest provocation.

After a simple check with key battalion commanders and staff officers, Sonthi has known full well for some months who the most suitable contender to succeed him is. Yet he keeps basking in the limelight by encouraging speculation as to who will succeed him. Many have linked his political motivations to the succession issue when the key matter is what type of military leadership is most suitable under the circumstances.

Sonthi's final task is not just to name his successor, but also entails the alignment of key Army division commanders to back up the new chief. After wasting weeks trying to appease a disappointed candidate by offering a ceremonial promotion, Sonthi has now turned his full attention to the new line-up of those in key command positions and staff officers. The shuffling of division commanders will likely determine Sonthi's legacy concerning whether he helped to promote professionalism or favouritism.