Critics said this could be a “political joke” that would do nothing but raise public fears.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said his government had started searching for the perpetrators who issued online threats against him and General Prawit Wongsuwan, his deputy and defence minister.

Prayut said that the alleged assassination plot was inspired by certain anti-monarchy Thai expatriates now living overseas.

“They’re [active] in social media and we’re searching for them,” the premier said. “They need to be asked where they obtained that information from.”

The alleged online threats have caused a media sensation since Thursday, as Prawit brought the issue up himself. “I heard of the threats but I don’t know who did it,” the deputy said. “I don’t even know if that’s really true.”

But Army Commander-in-chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart confirmed later on Thursday that the threats were true while ensuring that security measures would remain tight as usual.

Pheu Thai Party key figure and ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra and Democrat Party politician Watchara Petchthong responded by labelling Prayut and Prawit oversensitive given the alleged threats were made via social media and given the duo’s powerful positions.

Their insecurity could alarm Thais and hurt foreigners’ trust in Thailand, the politicians’ said.

“This kind of issue should instead be kept confidential,” Watchara said. “Determined to dedicate themselves to the country, they [Prayut and Prawit] should rather ensure people that this society is safe from dark influence,” he added.

Political analyst and orator Sukhum Nuansakul believe that the junta might want to raise such an issue to demonstrate to the public the hardships facing the country’s administrations.

“If the threats are really serious, they shouldn’t be spoken about,” he said.

Police are investigating the alleged threats as well as cooperating with domestic and international security agencies on the matter, according to deputy police spokesperson Colonel Krisana Pattanacharoen.

Krisana did not disclose details of the investigation including the possibility, according to an Army source, that one of the alleged perpetrators could be a shop owner in a famous department store.

The defence minister’s security adviser Panitan Wattanayagorn said that it was not unusual for the country’s top figurers to be threatened and security staff evaluated the seriousness of any threat.

He said that people expected a smooth election following the junta’s roadmap. “We are also working on reconciliation,” he said. “If these things affect any dissenter, action may be taken accordingly,” he added.

However, the adviser said no such connection had been seen.New security measures would also need to be introduced given to political conflicts in past years, he added.