Roar of Thai Army’s Eastern Tigers Boosts Prayuth’s Power
This article is for subscribers only.
Thailand’s junta leader Prayuth Chan-Ocha handed control of the army to his hand-picked successor as part of his scheduled retirement from the military.
Taking over as army chief is Gen. Udomdej Sitabutr, a member of the royalist military faction -- known as the Eastern Tigers -- that propelled Prayuth to power. Prayuth will stay on as prime minister and head of the junta that toppled the elected government in a May 22 coup and enshrined his absolute authority in an interim constitution.