Army Region 1 commander Lt General Prayuth Chan-ocha said the units under his supervision had compiled a list of more than 200 politicians, mostly former Thai Rak Thai MPs, who could pose a threat to the current administration.

"Most of them are part of the old power clique in Bangkok. But so far they have made no suspicious moves," the general said.

Prayuth made his comments at a seminar on globalisation and the sufficiency economy held at the Army Club on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road.

General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Army commander-in-chief and chairman of the Council for National Security, was also present at the event. He told reporters that about two months ago, shortly after the September 19 military coup, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra called him and they discussed the need for "sportsmanship" in politics.

Prayuth yesterday pleaded for the public to understand the military coup was essential to end national problems caused by five years of political mismanagement.

He called criticism of the coup and military rule "unfair".

"What the military did on September 19 it did to change the country for the better," Prayuth said.

He said critics of the coup had to be patient because it would take time to solve problems left behind by politicians of the past five years.

"During the past five years our country was in the dark because of cloud and fog. But now the cloud and fog have gone. The tunnel has been opened and we are seeing light at the end of it," Prayuth said.

In a reference to recent calls for immediate elections Prayuth said problems could not be solved in a few days.

He added critics should realise democracy involved both rights and duties. Activists should respect the law instead of giving priority to their feelings.

"To those who are crying foul I would ask: What is democracy? Democracy is not only the Constitution. People must be democratic in their hearts ... and the people must live their lives in line with the principles of the sufficiency economy as recommended by His Majesty the King," he said.

He believed people's way of life had not been affected by three months of martial law. He asked critics of the coup to realise soldiers were tired from their law-and-order mission.

"Since the coup I have had to be on standby here at First Army Area headquarters. I miss my children but I cannot go home to visit them. But those who come to protest can go home every day," he said.

"We are tired. We already have duties. We have to watch over the borders and we have to go down to fight in the South. When it floods we have to go and build embankments. But, now we are criticised on a daily basis."

He wanted critics to regard soldiers like relatives and fellow Thai citizens.

Prayuth said instead of protesting critics should help the government prevent bad politicians from recapturing the country.