For a government short on policy direction and known for its indecisiveness, these might be seen as bold moves - but ones made for the wrong reasons.

If the idea of getting Somkid on board is to use him to blunt Thaksin's criticisms of the sufficiency economy, the Surayud government couldn't be more misguided. Somkid was the staunchest defender of Thaksin's populist policies and was the man behind what came to be known as "Thaksinomics". And just because he was known to be contemplating deserting Thaksin during the latter's last weeks in office doesn't qualify him as a spokesman for sufficiency economy.

It's naive to believe that Somkid - despite his experience and overseas connections - has the influence and credibility to make a difference. Foreign investors' perception of sufficiency economy is shaped less by what is said about it than by actions taken by the government. Prime Minister Surayud only needs to get his government's priorities right if he wants to convince the international community that Thailand's open-door policy has never been reversed despite the emphasis on sufficiency economy.

It's understandable why the government and the Council for National Security are paranoid about what Thaksin has to say about sufficiency economy philosophy. But trying to use his former political protege to turn the tables on him sounds like political expediency at best, rather than a well-thought-out strategy. At worst, it sends a wrong signal - both to the remnants of Thaksin's sympathisers and the bureaucrats who are torn between the present administration and their former boss - that the deposed leader is still a force to be reckoned with. It mustn't be forgotten that Somkid is a target of the military-appointed Assets Investigation Committee for alleged corruption in the multi-million-baht rubber sapling project - which is being cited as part of the evidence to justify the coup. Therefore it shouldn't surprise anyone that members of the committee have been baffled by Somkid's sudden political revival.

Confusion aside, the political message from the sudden reinvention of Somkid shouldn't be lost on those doubtful about the political agenda of the CNS. As the push for Thaksin to step down intensified last year, Somkid was seen by many, including some of the coup-makers, as a potential successor. And it shouldn't be a surprise if some of the generals may have their own choice of prime minister after the next general election.

For the generals, Somkid comes across as a capable and experienced politician who still enjoys support from breakaway Thai Rak Thai factions. More importantly, they probably need to make sure that the next leader is someone who can cover their back. Now, Somkid only needs to show he has made a clean break with the past. And there is no better way of doing that than by turning against his former mentor.

Surayud might have been half-forced to take in Somkid, like he was coerced into having Sondhi Limthongkul on Channel 11. It's an open secret that some of the CNS generals and Sondhi are on good terms. They see him as the most effective crusader against Thaksin's PR machine.

But the decision to have Sondhi do a nightly commentary on Channel 11 probably came months too late. There has never been any doubt about the ability of the media firebrand, who played a crucial role in bringing down Thaksin, to electrify an audience with his no-holds-barred rhetoric. But do we really need a nightly Thaksin-bashing talk show at a time when the country should be looking ahead?

By now, those who hate Thaksin should be able to recount every single sin allegedly committed by him. They know he was a corrupt and dictatorial maniac bent on exploiting his political office to serve his own interests. They all have nightmares about how he would have ruined the country and its most respected institutions. So what can Sondhi add?

And for those still worshipping Thaksin, no amount of rhetoric - especially from Sondhi - can change their attitude. Sondhi can be the most articulate commentator but his preaching will fall on deaf ears as far as die-hard Thaksin supporters are concerned.

Judging from the widespread negative reaction, the gamble seems to be causing the government more problems than it might have imagined.

In his TV interview last week, Surayud seemed very aware of the mounting criticism against his four-month-old government and pledged to make a fresh start to meet expectations. But it looks like his new start is getting off on the wrong foot.

Thepchai Yong