Critics are skeptical of Army Chief General Apirat Kongsompong's pledge to reform the army, unless the military is open to be scrutinised by independence anti-graft organisations.

Hope is rising that Thailand will return to civilian rule with a general election next February, more than four years after the military staged a coup in May 2014. But the country now has a younger hawkish Army general, whose father was also a junta leader 27 years ago.