Rogue general has forgotten his foremost duty

How outrageous can one be? How many lines can one cross? Ask Major General Kithiya Sawathipol also known as "Sae Daeng" - a self-proclaimed hardened soldier who continues to milk his heyday fighting the communist insurgents - and he will say the sky's the limit. The military's biggest loose cannon has confirmed that his favourite pastime is to outdo himself and try to draw the fire from one Thaksin Shinawatra.

In the latest string of controversial moves by this enigmatic - some say overrated - general, who apparently has no real position in the armed forces, Sae Daeng has threatened to "stomp" Army chief General Anupong Paochinda. Now we learn how we have overstated the terms "defiant" and "provocative".

Sae Daeng is holding Anupong accountable for his bad run-in with Defence Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, who has handed down a stiff order that effectively suspended his civil servant status. He is accusing Anupong of bowing to the powers-that-be and has vowed to settle the score with the Army chief for unclear reasons.

"How dare he ask the Defence Ministry to suspend me? Such a measure is reserved for people who have committed criminal offences. I have done nothing wrong," Sae Daeng said. Apart from, of course, popping up for fun as Thaksin's inner-circle guest in Cambodia and Dubai.

Kithiya has been "suspended" because, technically, he went to Cambodia without permission from his superior. (No one seems to know who his superior is, by the way.) Pictures of him kissing up to and giggling with the ousted premier and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen are posted everywhere on the Internet. Many believe Kithiya is responsible for the Internet promotion himself.

While sneaking out of the country without permission is in itself a violation of military regulations, we don't even have to go that far when looking for dirt on Sae Daeng. First of all, leaving with permission or not, he used the occasion to meet a convicted criminal wanted in Thailand for corruption. A state official clinking wine glasses with a fugitive from his own country - in most countries that would be a gross legal offence.

The military's initial tolerance beggared belief, and the institution has to share the blame for the Sae Daeng travesty. If he has embarrassed the Thai armed forces, it's largely because they allowed him to.

It was the armed forces that let him go on and on with his shenanigans without intervention - for fear of being accused of meddling in politics. The brass should have stopped him in his tracks on the day he showed his face and mingled with the red-shirt demonstrators who were clashing with yellow shirts on the streets of Bangkok.

Or maybe Kithiya simply represents another dark side of the Thai military, which has been meddling in politics for decades. He has been doing it his own way, with the latest activity involving mobilisation of paramilitary rangers to go up against the Anti-Thaksin yellow-shirt protesters.

While soldiers may not like the fact that, under the constitutional monarchy, they are required to heed the orders of elected civilians, and while it is true that a lot of crummy civilians have been elected into public office, Kithiya represents the natural urge to take matters into one's (the military's) own hands.

As a professional soldier Kithaya should be committed to defending the country. That's an honourable and simple duty. He has overlooked that role. And while most of his actions may not be "illegal", they are dishonourable. As a soldier, he should demonstrate a different and higher standard. It is called "military bearing" - but sadly that's something this soldier has yet to learn.