Since taking office following the 2014 coup, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha's character has changed tremendously.
Despite his loathing of politicians, the general now looks every inch the species he loves to hate.
Over the years, he has appeared in peculiar photo-ops that have secured front-page space from mainstream media: kicking a ball, a duel with homegrown badminton star Ratchanok "May" Intanon, gulping down food, and trying cosmetics at product promotion events.
Paritta Wangkiat is a reporter, Bangkok Post.
When visiting remote villages in Nakhon Ratchasima, he had a loincloth around his waist; his "chicken-dance" with local merchants in Songkhla's food market drew cheers from fans.
He takes every opportunity to charm people he visits and shows no mercy to opponents, particularly politicians. He chastises them in his speeches, scolding them for corruption and unethical acts, while boasting of his military regime's performance.
However, more and more he has used rhetoric that somehow makes him much the same as politicians. Especially at a time when rumours abound about the formation of a military political party to compete in the elections.
Gen Prayut is a starkly different person now than he was in the first year he entered the political arena when he did not appear to show the slightest interest in staying on in power. Now the general seems to reap the benefits of political ambiguity when confronted with this very question. He refuses to admit, neither does he rule it out. He has told the media that the NCPO has not thought about launching a political party "for now" and that it must "wait and see" as the election is still a year ahead.
But when he fired his latest "six questions" to the public, many started seeing ulterior motives.
His first question: Does the country need a new political party and new politicians for the people to consider in the next election? Will the old politicians or political parties bring about national reform and comply with the national strategy?
Second, is it the NCPO's right to support a political party? He seems to think it is, as he will not run in the election.
Third, do people see a better future because of the regime's work?
Fourth, he said asked if it's appropriate to compare the current government with previously elected governments. He insisted political conflicts existed before the military intervened.
His fifth question was about the efficiency of democratically elected governments.
And his last question: Why have political parties and politicians come out to discredit the government on an unusually large scale during this time?
His asking six contentious questions demonstrates the prime minister's need for public approval of him and the regime governing the country, not just now, but also in the future, either in the form of a political party or a shadowy body.
His tactics are familiar. He asked the public to compare, while projecting the regime's image as a "saviour", not dictatorial. In chastising politicians, he wanted the public to see the regime as their one and only choice.
The timing is interesting. He chose to fire these questions as his popularity is diving, probably from a series of scandals involving people within his inner circle, and his failure to tackle some of the country's chronic problems.
From the first question, we get the hint that the NCPO has an interest in staying in power longer. The prime minister stressed that reform and national strategies are masterpieces from the military regime. But we are not really convinced of the regime's success with this reform.
In his attempt to maintain the regime's legitimacy, the general fires salvos at a convenient target -- "unethical" politicians, and says the failure of "dysfunctional" democracy has made it necessary for him to silence his critics.
While he scolds politicians for corruption, Gen Prayut has an issue with transparency, or lack thereof. Note the huge rise in military spending under his regime.
Even without the six questions from the prime minister, the regime's political agenda is evident: The constitution that gives it a chance to prolong power, and the possibility of a non-elected prime minister through the support of appointed senators.
Obviously, Gen Prayut is ready for post-coup politics. It's not certain if he will play by the rules. But as a person who once broke the rules by using force to gain political power, he may not hesitate in breaking them again.
But this time he must know the stakes are higher.
