Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that CNS chairman Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin had planned to meet the press on December 19  exactly three months after the coup.

"We [the CNS] are not concerned about the move against us and the government by some political groups," he said. "Most of the people have a better understanding of our mission. They only want us to speed up our work."

The progress to be reported includes the CNS performance and the investigation of the Assets Examination Committee and the National Counter Corruption Commission into government schemes allegedly involving corruption during the reign of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, he said.

Meanwhile, Sonthi denied a report revealed by Army Region 1 Commander Lt General Prayuth Chanocha that the CNS had blacklisted more than 200 politicians  mostly former Thai Rak Thai MPs  who could pose a threat to the current administration.

"The CNS has never done such a thing," Sonthi insisted, adding that Prayuth told him the press was wrong about the report as he had "never" given an interview to any reporters.

Prayuth said on Sunday that the military was keeping an eye on the movements of politicians close to the deposed government and that units under his supervision had compiled a list of 200 politicians.

The Nation