Thailand's ruling junta has picked a former army chief to be the new prime minister, local media and a government official said yesterday, more than a week after the coup that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
At the same time, the military -- which refused to confirm or deny the name of their reported pick -- said it was reserving the right to sack the premier under an interim constitution due to be published this weekend.
General Surayud Chulanont, 63, now a royal advisor, had been chosen as the successor to Thaksin, state-run Radio Thailand reported on its Web site citing auditor general Jaruvan Maintaka.
The choice was "quite certain," it quoted her as saying, adding that he "is the most suitable for the job, given his qualification and his seniority."
Surayud's name was also splashed across the Thai media, although a military source, speaking under condition of anonymity, said he had in fact turned the offer down.
The junta's secretary-general threw his support behind Surayud and said he figured "on the list" but that no names had been sent for royal approval.
"If it is General Surayud, I like him and I respect him," Winai Phattiyakul added. "He may be my choice, but I do not have the power to choose the prime minister."
Winai indicated that Surayud's army past would not be a bar to getting the post of premier. "We really consider that a retired general is a civilian," he said.
Thailand's new military leaders pledged after taking power on Sept. 19 to appoint a new premier within two weeks to guide Thailand towards elections in October next year.
An announcement is expected this weekend.
The other main candidate for the premiership has been former WTO chief Supachai Panitchpakdi, who has refused to comment.
Whoever their choice may be, the generals have reserved the right in their interim constitution to sack him.
"The power is in reserve, as it were," said the permanent secretary of the foreign ministry, Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn.
The junta already plans to rename itself the Council for National Security and keep a close eye on the new premier and his government.
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