He complained that the allegation, made by former Future Forward Party MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, had damaged the government’s image and should be investigated.

“It’s not a threat. It’s just a procedure,” Prayut said.

The premier has been quizzed before about information operations (IO), which some see in the state’s hands as an invasive use of technology that might violate basic rights and freedoms, but insisted he had no policy on the matter.

Lt Gen Thanya Kriatisarn, commander of the Second Army Region, said he ordered relevant organisations to share information with the Defence Ministry and added that Wiroj’s allegation merely muddled the facts.

“I can confirm that this wasn’t a ministry order to establish IO in each division of the Army,” he said.

The ministry is vulnerable to critics’ confused attacks because it remains weak at public relations, he said.

Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn on Tuesday made public three military documents – one from Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), a video interview with an alleged former IO officer, and a Line message from commanders involved in the alleged operation.

The documents appeared to accuse a website that allegedly encouraged unrest in the southern border provinces, pulony.blogspot.com, of being funded by ISOC from 2017-2019.

They indicated that IO was operated via three Line chat groups, members of which created two accounts on Facebook to tackle the government’s critics.

“This kind of operation must get its funding from somewhere, and the Army can’t do it without orders,” Wiroj said.

“The budget must have come from tax revenues, and it was being used to legally oppose citizens on social media. I believe the prime minister, who is also defence minister, was behind it.”

Others from pro-democracy Future Forward have signed up with opposition partners the Commoners’ Party and other newer parties.

Nine MPs of the now-dissolved Future Forward Party have taken an ideological leap and joined the ranks of the government-aligned Bhumjaithai Party, and more are expected to follow them.

There are still 40-50 MPs in the party who have yet to decide on their next move.

Ekkapob has acknowledged that the party he will launch will be much smaller than Future Forward and thus limited in its ability to affect government policy.

“Our plan is still the same, but if there is any change, I want the party’s leaders to stick together,” he said.

At Silapakorn University in the capital, students gathered in the courtyard with signs echoing elements of this week’s censure debate in Parliament, such as government spending on “information operations”.

At Burapha University in Chonburi, 1,000 students called for full freedom after years of civil rights being politically suppressed and demanded to know why the national budget earmarks more money for defence than education.

Burapha instructor Olarn Thinbangtieo said students have suffered political suppression since the coup in 2014 and want to see improvements in Thailand.

The current student movement was non-violent and respected the law, he said, characterising it as “only a symbolic expression” of opinion.

At Srinakharinwirot University, also in Bangkok, students discussed freedom of speech and the fact that eight political parties have been disbanded since 2006.

The parties are institutions that reflect the Constitution and allow citizens to participate in politics through their chosen representatives, it was agreed.

Administrators of Satriwithaya School in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district barred students from holding further political gatherings on the grounds, so the youngster instead took their signs decrying “dictatorship” to the Democracy Monument.

One of the group’s leaders said they represent the new generation, which supports democracy, and do not want their political views suppressed.

Benja, who had played to media on February 23 a recording of a telephone conversation between Future Forward MPs and a member of the government party offering the lawmakers money to defect from their former party, was allegedly approached by an unnamed government MP on Thursday and warned that she should be more careful.

She also claimed that on February 25 another MP, who she did not identify, told her in Parliament that she should watch her back for exposing such information.

Benja said she felt intimidated by the threats and decided to report them to the police.

In the conversation, Srinuan reportedly expressed her concern for him and asked him to join her new party before she invited him to have a face-to-face conversation.

Earlier, other members of the dissolved Future Forward Party have revealed telephone conversations of alleged bribes from Future Forward defector Samlee Raksuthee who joined Bhumjaithai.

“There is a question of whether this method of dragging the dissolved party’s members to their side is legal or not,” Prasertpong said. “There is more evidence in other formats that we cannot reveal now.”

Speaking on the first day of the censure debate, Sutin said the economy was stalled and the Legal Execution Department’s boast that asset seizures in criminal cases were at a five-year high had negligible effect on GDP.

Without mentioning a source, Sutin said the failure to solve economic issues had been attributed to a prime minister who was shunned by other world leaders because he had seized power by force in 2014.

In recent years, 70 per cent of GDP has come from overseas in the form of tourism and investment, but Thailand is now losing that income because foreigners have lost confidence in the premier, he said.

Exports are contracting and some businesses are shutting down and the Bt3.2-trillion budget for fiscal 2020 was long delayed, resulting in a negative effect on the stock market.

Sutin said the government blames global trade disputes and other factors, but the problems were spawned by the prime minister himself, he insisted, noting how the government is a proud supporter of capitalism.

By way of evidence, he said large corporations command 95 per cent of all business income, leaving the balance as crumbs for small-scale companies, and they always get pride of place on government task forces established to shape Thailand’s future direction.

They said the line is linking to a BTS Skytrain route on which constructed hasn’t yet begun and will pass a major shopping mall, meaning the Gold Line will live up to its name and be quite lucrative.

MPs also complained about the planned erection of the Bt4-billion Unity Tower Bangkok in a location that’s difficult to access, and said the government selected the private firm in charge without seeking bids on the project.

To visit the tower, they said, people will have to pass by another large shopping mall.

In response, Prayut said the tower will be a national landmark occupying state-owned land. The contractor is paying rent for the duration of construction, so it’s costing the taxpayer nothing.

Once completed, he said, the tower will belong to the Treasury Department, which will neither seek nor derive benefit from it.

Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana added that a private-sector coalition and more than 50 financial institutions had organised financing and a non-profit foundation was registered to use state property that has long sat empty because it’s not easily accessed.

The government also arranged with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Royal Thai Police to make 2,000 square metres available for access routes to the tower, he noted.

The Treasury Department believes the development itself will boost land values and it is meanwhile reaping fees while construction continues.

As for the lack of open bidding, private investment must legally be in accordance with government policy, but the bidding was delayed and the commission established for the project was left with insufficient time for a bidding process. It had to make quick decision for the benefit of the country.

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda said the Gold Line was among development projects approved by the Commission for the Management of Land Traffic. The city granted Krungthep Thanakom Co Ltd permission to invest and no government funding was involved.

Private firms have also been contracted to buy advertising space on the trains and in the stations for 30 years, paying Bt2 billion in advance.

Anupong said the domestic and foreign investments might raise suspicions about the involvement of wealthy corporations, but if no laws are broken, the government can’t intervene. The prime minister had nothing to do with the financial arrangements made, he said.

The rail line linking to U-tapao Airport in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) would support all forms of train transportation services, he said.

It involved global open bidding and had 31 foreign firms submitting offers.

Eight companies formed into two business groups, BSR and CPH, had qualified and the latter was selected because it offered higher yield by trimming Bt60 billion off the government’s required investment.

Saksayam was asked why the contract’s signing was delayed and what happened to the government’s original analysis, which said the 220-kilometre high-speed railway required 4,000 rai, along which infrastructure had to be cleared in 300 locations before construction could begin.

The opposition pointed out that 900 people living along the targeted route have been deemed illegal occupants but ought to be compensated for their eviction.

The minister said a commission had been established to conduct monthly inspections and the contract specified no financial compensation for anyone found encroaching.

Moreover, he said, if the government did not help investors in the Bt10-billion project, it would lose their confidence.

1. Longan problem: Longan export prices have increased steadily to Bt35 per kg, but the price of longan for Thai farmers was reduced to Bt13 per kg because Chinese capitalists who dominate the market forced the price down, Ekkapob claimed. The problem was not just with longan prices but also with those of pineapples, durian and mangosteen, he said. He believes Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha knows about this but does not dare do anything.

2. Real estate market problems, especially condominiums: Ekkapob claimed Chinese capitalists have increased their market share by 7 per cent, with the condominium price index jumping 17 per cent due to these capitalists creating artificial demand. They also rented out to Thai and Chinese, meaning that the money earned for accommodating Chinese tourists returned to Chinese hands. So, small and medium-sized hotels have witnessed reduced revenue, he said.

3. High-speed train project: Ekkapob alleged that the Thai government signed a MOU with China without a committee first studying the details while also accepting the objectives of the project to strengthen Thai-Chinese relations. Infrastructure for the project is worth more than Bt200 billion. Later, when the study found the project was not worth it, he claimed, the government changed the specification from a high-speed train to a double-track railway. “The construction of the double railroad tracks increases the ability of travellers and the public to access them, but China is not happy, so General Prayut had to fly to China in March 2016 to negotiate,” he alleged, claiming that the project also changed from a joint venture to private investment that borrows money from China, with the first 3.5 kilometres of double-track for electric trains being built to preserve the project.

4. Thai state “protects” Chinese online trading companies: Ekkapob claimed that Chinese warehouses in Thailand have been granted a 14-day warehouse tax exemption, but small Thai capitalists who bring products into Thailand must pay container tax immediately upon entering the country, while no tax is collected from Chinese capitalists until goods are bought. Alibaba receives this privilege, putting Thai online companies at a disadvantage and unable to compete, he alleged.

5. Coronavirus: Ekkapob claimed the government was late in bringing home Thais from Wuhan, the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak, while there was no suspension of visas on arrival for Chinese.

6. Mekong River: The management of the Mekong River, where China has constructed a large dam which is affecting survival of the Mekong downstream has resulted in a severe drought in Thailand, Ekkapob said. He hoped the Thai government would open negotiations with Beijing to tackle the problem. In response, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the government had already talked with China as a partner country about the drought and China has released more water to help Thailand since January 24.

Former New Economics Party (NEP) leader Mingkwan Sangsuwan spoke for two hours last night (Feb 24) on the first day of the censure debate, stressing the lack of trust of Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, due to his poor performance in economic management resulting in growing hardship for the general public. Mingkwan claimed many had lost their jobs since the beginning of his government and some even committed suicide.

In addition, Thailand has risen to the top spot in the ranking of inequality globally from eleventh place in 2015. , he said, adding that part of the problem could be attributed to the huge wealth of rich families in the country.

Meanwhile, the ‘eat, shop, spend’ economic stimulus only benefit the capitalists, he said, pointing out that Thailand is known for street foods but stalls disappear when the government moved to tighten control of the pavements.

The premier agreed with the issues raised and criticism from Mingkwan because they were constructive. However, in solving a problem, the decision is based on the legality and the joint decision of the cabinet, he said . He said critics should look at the government’s perspective in tackling problems rather than focusing on failures.