Anand Panyarachun is often described as "the best prime minister Thailand never elected" but he has also been called many names over the years.
An ultimate elite, that is commonplace considering his aristocratic family background, education at Dulwich and later Cambridge University in England and stellar career at the topmost echelon of the Thai society.
But to be branded a communist, then royalist? An apologist for the military coup as well as sympathiser of the youth-led pro-democracy progressive movement?
Who is Anand quintessentially?
In his own words, Anand Panyarachun at the age of 30 or 40 is different from Anand at the age of 60 and 70.
"In my youth, I was a little too brusque. I might have inadvertently encroached upon what should be civil relationship between youth and age. I went beyond the red line at times, not with any ill intention. I knew that I had to adjust. I had to admit that I went too far and that kind of lesson changed my character," Anand recalled.
The former prime minister, who steered the country to a safe and some would say more stable and modernised shore during one of the most tumultuous times following the 1991 coup and again after the Black May incident during the latter half of 1992, is now 90.
He is also the subject of yet another biography.
The Thai-language book, titled Nak Su Anand or Courageous Anand, is penned by career diplomat Vitthya Vejjajiva.
But what is still there to learn about the former PM whose life and career have been in the public spotlight for decades?
Several books were written about him including the Thai-language biography Anand Panyarachun: Life, Thought and Work of Two-Time Prime Minister compiled by Prasarn Maruekapitak published 24 years ago and the more recent English-language Anand Panyarachun And The Making Of Modern Thailand by Dominic Faulder published in 2018.
"I am not a professional writer," said Vitthya, who has published a few titles under his name including the award-winning biography of former secretary-general of the Thai Red Cross Society Phan Wannamethee.
"I like writing biography but I am not seeking heroes or heroines. My criteria for biography is there must be excellence in that person."
His book differs from other biographies of Anand in a sense that it focuses not on Anand's life story but qualities that informed his personality. It is Anand's character study, so to speak.
"My only hope is that what I wrote in this book will fairly reflect the unique personality and character -- his various activities, the conduct of policies when he was PM and when he was ambassador to the United Nations, as father to a tightly knit family and as someone who has been active in the civil society circle," the author said.
The book is the culmination of 18 months of "conversations" between the author and Anand plus contributions from over 20 people -- diplomats, businessmen, activists and student leaders -- who have come into touch with the former PM.
Does it feel disconcerting to have your personality analysed?
"I am quite insensitive to what people say about me," Anand said.
"If anybody should praise me, I thank you. If they should criticise me, I listen to the criticism. If it is a fair criticism, I can certainly accept it. But if it's unfair or untrue, I would like to at least explain it."
Anand said truth, as contrast to fact, is a very important aspect of his way of thinking.
Facts are about what, when and how but truths also include why certain things happened and what are the consequences, in Anand's opinion.
"I am the sort of person who has to be honest with myself and others. I have a strong sense of duty and responsibility. Even more importantly, I have a strong sense of accountability."
He recalled his second stint as PM as an illustration.
"The mandate was to restore peace and order then to return power to the people. So I knew from the beginning that it should not take more than three to four months. But probably because of the popularity of the Anand 1 government, many people cheered on us to stay on.
"But I had to go so I left. All through my life, whatever position I am in, when I knew in my mind that the term has ended I would leave. I would never cling to power because I have no hunger for authority."
Self respect is another important aspect of his life, he said.
"I have my periodic self assessment. My life is based on a sense of balance, a sense of moderation. I am not an extreme person. I don't have extreme ideas. I don't have extreme convictions or ideologies. I am more about middle ground," he said.
Born in 1932, a few months after the revolution that replaced the absolute monarchy with a constitutional one, Anand is thus as old as Thailand's democracy.
With generation-based conflicts looming in the background of the country's struggle to find its democratic footing yet again, Anand said he takes interest in younger people particularly in their new ideas.
"I am 90 years old. It is important that I know what is going on with the younger generation, how they grow up, how they view things, their beliefs, their convictions, their dreams."
He insisted that the older generation should always try to relate to young ones, not with superficial ideas but with an aim of peaceful coexistence.
Since Vitthya is Anand's junior, both at Cambridge and the foreign ministry where he almost followed in Anand's footsteps and served in several same posts including as permanent-secretary, is there a risk of the book becoming a hagiography?
"I was honest," Anand said.
"I was open to all sorts of questions, personal or otherwise. We had some dialogues. We talked to each other and he developed his own ideas, his own theme and conclusion," Anand said.
Vitthya also noted that while he equates "excellence" as someone being both virtuous and capable, the quality needs not be flawless.
He said Anand insisted he is no pope.
"He can make mistakes. The beautiful thing is on very few occasions that he made mistakes, he accepted it. He pointed out that in some cases he didn't go the right way."
The author also identified courage as a prominent feature of Anand's character -- evident in his taking the premiership, twice, when the country was so divided.
Anand acknowledged the criticism of his agreeing to serve as an unelected PM after the coup led by Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon.
"What I said to people was: you watch what I do. What happened before, I had no participation or knowledge. But now that I accepted the premiership, you watch whether I adhere to democratic principles or not from day one. Then you can criticise me," Anand said.
To Vitthya, Anand is an embodiment of the spirit of modern Thailand. His lineage descending from the ethnic Mon and Chinese ancestors shows how Thai society has embraced diversity.
Also, while Anand accepts and carries on values that were inculcated to him by his parents -- serving the country for the common good -- he has been able to modify the heritage and adapt it to the current situation.
"The devotion to duty and task that permeated his life, that struck me as really amazing. My thesis is this is the heritage that he inherited. It is not trappings like big buildings, honours or decorations but virtues inside the person," Vitthya said.
"He has fought for the country all his life, beginning at the UN. Less concrete is he stands against ignorance and fight for social justice. He tries to eliminate bias and prejudices for the good of the society. This is what the book is about," Vitthya said.
Nak Su Anand will be launched at 3pm Tuesday (Oct 11) at Vajiravudh College, Ratchawithi Road, and on Oct 12-13 at the 27th Book Expo Thailand 2022 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.
