Steady Prayut hand

Re: “Royal transition explains military’s grip”, (Opinion, Oct 13).

Thitinan Pongsudhirak’s account of the 2014 coup, produced by the then-looming royal transition and the utter selfishness of the Yingluck administration, is indeed first class. All of the armchair predictions about political and social chaos in the kingdom following the late King’s death have proved groundless, largely thanks to the sure hand of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.

While military coups inevitably have their downside — power, once tasted, is difficult to abandon and corruption exists universally — the history books will likely be even-handed to the current prime minister. He has achieved what most commentators had thought impossible, namely to steer Thailand through its most difficult political era since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932. BARRY KENYON