NRSA vice chair Alongkorn Ponlaboot said clashes could spin into political assaults. He urged both sides to tone down their activities so that the mood of the royal mourning period would not be spoiled.

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is among the first MPs who stepped out to help farmers sell rice after prices slumped over recent weeks. On Saturday, she led some Pheu Thai executives to sell rice outside a shopping mall in Samut Prakan, the second time she had done so. A week ago, Yingluck sold 10 tonnes of jasmine rice bought from farmers within an hour outside the Fashion Island shopping mall. The action drew swift criticism from opposition figures including the Democrats’ former MPs.

‘Helping farmers can be done without media stunts’

Alongkorn said he felt uncomfortable with the ongoing “stunts” – and the return assaults they could provoke from opponents. He urged participants to compose themselves, saying they were previously all high-profile politicians or political office holders. Before getting involved they should understand the public mood and manner.

Alongkorn said selling of rice with the aim of helping farmers could be done without any media stunts if they wished to really help without any expectation of favours in return. Other agencies had been doing this, but not politicians, he said.

“What ordinary people do to help the farmers is volunteering without announcing what they do. It’s what is called ‘volunteering’ which would involve no competition and assaults against one another,” Alongkorn said.