It is unclear how far that influenc

It is unclear how far that influence goes, or how decisive they could be. But both have close ties to army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha. And all three have a history of enmity with Yingluck's billionaire brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who they helped oust in a 2006 coup.

The military sources said that if Suthep's protests lead to violence, the two could help sway the military to intervene or even to seize power on the pretext of national security, allowing Suthep to go ahead with his People's Council, though analysts say such a scenario appears unlikely in the immediate term.

Although retired, Anupong, 64, and Prawit, 67, still wield influence in a powerful and highly politicised military that has played a pivotal role in a country that has seen 18 successful or attempted coups in the past 81 years..