Someone could be masterminding the anti-coup protests by university students, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Monday.
His comments came after three students were detained last Thursday for anti-coup activities outside two Bangkok cinemas.
And on Wednesday five students were detained in Khon Kaen after publicly expressing their anti-coup message in front of the stage where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who had staged the May 22 coup, was to giving a speech.
Gen Prawit also said the person who scattered anti-coup leaflets on Ratchadamnoen Avenue in Bangkok on Sunday morning might not have acted alone. However he did not think that anti-coup movement would grow.
Opinion surveys showed that people generally understood and were satisfied with the government, according to the minister.
Gen Prawit said the government was implementing its one-year plan for national reconciliation and the media should help explain that to these students.