Gen Prayuth: The Next Guy?

Gen Prayuth Chan-oja is supposed to be the No 2 at the Army. Why then is he picked by the Red shirts to be the target of grilling about a possible coup?

Matichon Weekly puts him on the cover today with the headline: "The Next Guy?" without providing an answer.

Prayuth is of course tipped to succeed Army Chief Anupong Paochinda on Oct 1, this year. But if there were to be a coup, why isn't it led by the army chief? Why the No 2? Only the Red shirts can say.

In fact, very few political analysts would even suggest that a coup is possible at all at this time.

As Anupong once said: "We soldiers aren't smart enough to run the country. Staging a coup may not be that difficult but running the country after the coup is the real problem."

Prayuth has so far sealed his mouth. He hasn't uttered a word since the Red shirts have "honored" him with the suspicion that he is now "the man in charge."

Or is he?