A political scientist yesterday lashed out at Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying he has exploited the military to serve his own political ambitions.

Ukrit Pattamanant, of Chulalongkorn University's Asian Studies Institute, said Mr Thaksin was trying to avoid the fate of former prime minister Chatichai Choonhavan, who was toppled in a coup.

The removal of Gen Surayud Chulanont from his position as army chief was simply an attempt by the prime minister to use his military connections to serve his political goals, he said.

Mr Ukrit said that up to 35 classmates and acquaintances of Mr Thaksin have been promoted to highly important posts within the armed forces.

M.L. Pinijpan Paribatra also took the government to task for using personal relationships in its dealings with the Burmese military junta.

He said the government was aware of Burma's need for telecommunications technology, so it had become involved in the industry run by relatives of former Burmese prime minister Gen Khin Nyunt.

Pattama Thamrongsiripak, a PhD student, said the government had also used state mechanisms to increase its monopoly on power and resorted to simple marketing strategies to sell its populist policies to the people.