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Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha Monday called on the Nitirat group of academics to stop campaign on lese-majesty law amendment, saying it would lead to confrontation and eventually affect His Majesty.
Prayuth said efforts to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code always led to confrontations of two groups of people.
The Army chief said both sides should stop their campaigns immediately.
He said no one should use the Article 112 as a tool to create turmoil and disturbance and the society should not support the efforts to create turbulence on this issue.
Prayuth said if conflicts occur, certain persons would blame His Majesty the King for the conflicts again.
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Activists defy army chief
Group vows Article 112 fight will go upcountry
A network of academics has vowed to carry on with its campaign to amend the controversial lese majeste law and defied the army chief's call for them to cease their action.
However, the group has admitted any proposed amendments to the law stand little chance of being passed by parliament.
Puangthong Rungswasdisab, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said yesterday the Campaign Committee for the Amendment of Article 112 is collecting 10,000 signatures to seek an amendment to Article 112 of the Criminal Code, better known as the lese majeste law.
She said several thousand people have already signed the petition calling for change.
Ms Puangthong said the campaign, which began on Jan 15, will last 112 days and end on May 5.
She said the group also plans to take the campaign to the provinces.
But army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha is clearly unhappy with several groups, including the Nitirat group, which want to amend the lese majeste law.
Gen Prayuth has urged them to stop their campaigns. Their actions will only deepen divisions in the country, he said.
The army chief said even the government and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) have distanced themselves from the move.
Gen Prayuth said there are two committees who consider the enforcement of the law and it is impossible to use the law as a tool against anyone.
There is no prosecution unless offences are committed, he said.
"Don't exploit Article 112 to instigate disturbances. I'd like to ask whether you could accept it if your parents are insulted," Gen Prayuth said, referring to what he perceived as anti-monarchy sentiments among those campaigning for the reform of the lese majeste law.
However, Ms Puangthong said the army chief may not have studied the details of the proposed amendments before criticising advocates for change.
She said the army chief should take a hard look at the law because it clearly states that anyone who offends the monarchy will be punished anyway.
"What we are doing is not new. Civic groups used to collect signatures to petition for legislation. This is a right guaranteed by the constitution," Ms Puangthong said.
"What authority will the army chief invoke to stop us? Does the army think its major duty is to stage a coup to protect the institution [of the monarchy]? The army no longer has legitimacy to stage coups," she said.
However, Ms Puangthong admitted that there is little chance of any proposed amendments to the lese majeste law getting through parliament.
She said the primary aim of the campaign is to attract attention to the problems with the enforcement of the lese majeste law.
Ms Puangthong said there is a consensus among a large number of people in society that there is a problem with the enforcement of the law by state authorities.
Often, it has been misused to persecute people and the number of lawsuits being brought against innocent people is increasing, she said.
She stressed the group will continue with its campaign to educate the people about the law even if proposed amendments to it are not passed.
She insisted the group does not bear any ill intentions towards the monarchy.
"We don't think we are posing a threat to the institution [of the monarchy]," Ms Puangthong said.
The lese majeste law already protects the monarchy, but the group wants the penalties under the law reduced.
Responding to the committee's announcement that it is taking its campaign to the provinces, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said their right to do so should be respected as long as they advocate free expression peacefully.
Democrat Party and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the lese majeste issue is sensitive and many people have strong feelings about the matter.
The government should talk with the campaigners to find ways to end the controversy.
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Army, cabinet close ranks on Section 112
Cabinet ministers and military top brass are backing army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha's call for the Campaign Committee for the Amendment of Section 112 to halt its activities.
Deputy Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa yesterday said the army would never allow the Criminal Code's Section 112 to be amended.
"Any act demeaning the monarchy or Thai people's feelings should be stopped. If they stop this movement, peace can be achieved," Gen Yutthasak said.
Gen Yutthasak's comment came a day after Gen Prayuth urged the group, an alliance of academic and intellectuals, including the Nitirat Group, to halt its campaign as its actions would only deepen the divisions in the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said he agreed "wholeheartedly" with the comments made by the army chief against the Nitirat group.
"If the politicians are not doing it, how are they going to amend the law? Please stop this now," Mr Chalerm said.
Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Nattawut Saikuar said the government is obliged to respect freedom of expression as long as it stays within the bounds of the law.
"Blocking freedom of expression can lead to violence and more conflict and would actually do more harm than just listening to and understanding the other person's opinion and trying to have an open mind," he said.
Mr Nattawut insisted that the government had nothing to do with the Nitirat group.
"It's only the Democrat Party which is still trying to say otherwise," he said.
Navy chief Surasak Roonroengrom said yesterday that demands to amend Section 112 should stop for the sake of national security and unity.
"I think that the armed forces are watching to see if the movement will affect national security. I share the opinion of the majority of people that this issue is useless," Adm Surasak said.
He added that national progress requires security and unity and the push to amend Section 112 should have ceased long ago.
First Army chief Udomdej Seetabutr said military top brass are of the same mindset as Supreme Commander Thanasak Patimapakorn and the army chief, who say the monarchy deserves the utmost protection because it brings about national security.
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