Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, leader of the Council for National Security, admitted on Thursday that the death of pro-democracy taxi driver caused the CNS to worry about the political situation.

"I worry about the country," Sonthi said when asked if the CNS feared that the death would be cited as a cause to protest against the coup makers.

The man hanged himself on a pedestrian flyover in front of Thai Rath head office late Tuesday night, a month after ramming his taxi into a tank in a protest against the coup.

Sonthi said the CNS was closely monitoring the situation and watching political movements in several provinces as well as checking reports that a protest was planned at Sanam Luang.

"We detected movements in several provinces but I can't give details," Sonth said, adding that the military have sent officers to closely monitor leaders of such movements.

"We are on alert," Sonthi said.

Sonthi admitted that the CNS might be too slow to explain the situation to the public, causing some groups to be dissatisfied. He said the media should help the CNS to give explanations to the public.

The Nation