BANGKOK, Nov 24\u00a0(NNN-BERNAMA) —\u00a0Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha on Monday denied\u00a0rumours of a coup to end political tensions in the kingdom as pressure rose on the former junta leader to step down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prayuth, who is also Minister of Defence, said he did not want the anti-government and royalist protests to turn violent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am the prime minister and I do not want Thais to kill each other again. I do not want any side to use violence again, especially during COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have enough problems in dealing with the economic (challenges),\u201d he told the media after the weekly cabinet meeting at Government House on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was asked to comment on possible confrontations between the anti-government and royalist group that could lead to a military coup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thailand\u2019s gross domestic product (GDP) shrank at less than the expected 6.4 per cent in the third quarter, recovering from a fall of 12.1 per cent in the second quarter — the sharpest fall in more than two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bank of Thailand projected it would approximately two years for overall economic activities to return to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Political uncertainties have risen in Thailand since the mid-July demand for political change, including for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha to step down, the dissolution of Parliament, the rewriting of the Constitution and bringing reform to the monarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tensions grew as the Royalist group held counter-protests in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protest outside Parliament last Tuesday turned violent when riot police fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters in which 55 people were hurt, including six with gunshots wounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The anti-government protesters would stage another protest at the Crown Property Bureau in Bangkok on Wednesday. One of the student leaders said, \u201cthere will be a big surprise\u201d in the upcoming protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n