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The leader of the Thai junta has threatened to execute journalists who “do not tell the truth” in shocking comments aimed at Thailand’s media.
Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters, "we'll probably just execute them," when he was asked how the Government would deal with journalists and media outlets that did not adhere to the official line, according to Reuters .
The news agency claims he made the menacing remarks on Wednesday without “a trace of a smile”.
"You don't have to support the government, but you should report the truth," he added. Instead, he urged journalists to write in a way that encourages national reconciliation in the deeply divided nation.
Prayuth leads the National Council for Peace and Order which deposed the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in a coup last May following months of protests.
Yingluck was recently impeached by Thai legislators for her role in overseeing a controversial government rice subsidy programme that lost billions of dollars.
Show all 25 1 /25Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A Thai soldier stands in front of a portrait of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej as he patrols near government buildings in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A pro-government protester points at a soldier during a cleanup at a pro-government demonstration site on the outskirts of Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers patrol near government buildings in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A soldier walks past barefoot Buddhist monks begging for alms outside a temple near Government House in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai police and army soldiers stand guard outside a military compound before former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrives to report to Thailand's ruling military in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers stand guard at a roadblock outside the Defence Ministry building (background) after Thailand's army chief announced that the armed forces were seizing power in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers patrol after army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha met with anti-government and pro-government leaders at the Army Club in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai police and military display a haul of weapons seized during recent raids since the imposition of martial law, at a press conference at the Army Club in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers stand next to the portrait of King Bhumibol Adulyadej after the declaration of martial law at the Army Club in Bangkok. Thai Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, declared martial law giving the military full control to prevent further protest-related violence in the country
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban (R) gives a traditional greeting to a soldier before leaving Government House in Bangkok. Thailand's army chief said rival political groups should talk to each other and that the martial law imposed would last until peace and order had been restored
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A Thai soldier stands outside the Government Public Relations Department in Bangkok
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Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers man a checkpoint near pro-government "red shirt" supporters encampment in suburbs of Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand (L-R) Thai Police Chief Adul Saengsingkaew, Navy Chief Adm Narong Pipattanasai, Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Air Chief Marshall Prachin Chantong during a meeting at the Army Club in Bangkok. Thailand has been wracked by six months of non-stop protests seeking to topple the government. At least 25 people have died in political-related violence and more than 700 injured
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Motorists on their way as Thai soldiers take to the streets with a heavy machine gun on a Humvee military vehicle at a main road outside the Royal Thai Police Sports Club in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Outside police headquarters in Bangkok
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Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand An anti-government protester waves a Thai national flag during a rally outside the Government House in Bangkok. Thailand's Senate said it was ready to choose an interim prime minister to end a political deadlock but stopped short of throwing out a beleaguered caretaker government and risking a violent backlash by its supporters
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai anti-government protesters shout slogans during a rally in front of the Parliament as senators debate to find and end to the country's political conflict in Bangkok. Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied the area surrounding parliament and Government House to pressure the Senate to appoint an interim government to institute political reforms before new elections while key Thai institutions are resisting the opposition's demands
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai anti-government protesters gather in front of the Parliament in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai riot policemen stand guard during an anti-government protest rally at the Air Force auditorium in Bangkok. Thailand's Election Commission called for the postponement of key parliamentary polls due to be held on 20 July 2014 because of political unrest shaking the kingdom
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Anti-government protesters leave an air force base after breaking into its grounds in Bangkok. Protesters seeking to oust Thailand's government broke into the grounds of an air force compound where the acting prime minister was meeting the Election Commission to fix a date for new polls, forcing him to flee
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai Air Force military (L) face anti-government protesters after they broke into the Royal Thai Air Force base in Bangkok. Hundreds of anti-government protesters broke into the meeting between the election commission and the caretaker government as they discussed for the planned next elections on 15 May 2014, after the results of the 02 February general elections were annulled. According to media reports, Thailand's Election Commission said that the 20 July polling is no longer possible due to political turmoil
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai anti-government protesters leader Suthep Thaugsuban (C-L) cheers his followers during a street rally march toward Government House and Parliament in Bangkok
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand An anti-government protester (C) gives instructions to a fellow protester on how to wave a huge Thai flag from atop a barricade near the Government House in Bangkok. Thailand's beleaguered government warned people to stay away from anti-government protests, saying it had to step up security as the two sides in a lengthy political crisis squared off over who is running the country
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand An anti-government protester looks at a damaged telephone booth after a grenade attack at a protest site outside Government House in Bangkok. Supporters of Thailand's embattled government warned the country's judiciary and Senate against any attempt to install an unelected prime minister, saying it would be a disaster for the nation that could spark civil war
Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Anti-government protesters making a fist and waving a giant Thai flag, the symbol of the protest, on top of a truck as they rally outside Thai Parliament in a call for the final battle in Bangkok. Protesters marched on many key sites in Bangkok, police fired tear gas and some protesters have been injured. Protest leaders say they are hoping to strike the final blow at the weakened government and usher in a people's council to reform the government
The coup saw Thailand placed under martial law, giving the army full control over citizens, the way the country is run and providing the junta with sweepings powers over arrest and detention.
Prayuth has lead a crack-down on dissenters and claims Thailand is still not ready for martial law to be lifted.
In January, the junta forced a German foundation to cancel a forum on press freedom. Prayuth was particularly critical of the Thai-language Matichon daily newspaper, accusing the paper of siding with ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his allies.
"Don't think I don't know that your writing is pro the previous administration," He was quoted as telling a Matichon reporter. "The previous Interior Ministry bought many advertising spaces from you."
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