“Don’t be scared of the NCPO [National Council for Peace and Order],” Prayut said while scratching “Thepprathanporn”, an award-winning yellow-bodied, white-tailed cock. “The NCPO won’t be hard on you.”

As part of series of field visits, Prayut spent the year-end week in Phitsanulok and Sukhothai to observe development projects in the country’s northern region. He will also chair a mobile Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

On Monday, he was simply content with talking to the cock, along with some local people, and also seemingly issuing a new order about his own surname.

“From now on, just call me ‘Prayut Chan-som-sa’,” he said, adapting his name to play on the word Som Sa, which describe the bitter orange plants that grow in the province.

Thanks to its medicinal effects, bitter orange is popular among local industries and processed into several products. The bitter orange industry in Phitsanulok is also important in terms of promoting small and medium-sized enterprises.