Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has come under renewed pressure over his luxury watch collection as petitions and online polls have been launched asking people if they think he should resign.
This follows his comment in a widely shared video on Wednesday that, " If the people don’t want me, I’m ready to leave."
Huge majorities of respondents said or voted that they wanted Gen Prawit to quit.
The video of a Wednesday speech for reconciliation by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Wednesday, in which he promised to resign 'if the people don't want me', immediately bit Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon - as the public voted in numerous ways on Thursday and it was an overwhelming message to step down. (Twitter/@Wassanananuam)
Human rights activist Thicha Nanakorn on Wednesday evening started a petition on Change.org.
Ms Thicha, a director of the Kanjanapisek Juvenile Vocational Training Centre for Boys, previously launched a petition calling on Gen Prawit, also defence minister, to resign over the mysterious death of cadet Pakapong "Moei" Tanyakan at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School on Oct 17 last year.
The CSI LA Facebook page, which published pictures of 25 luxury watches worn by Gen Prawit, and the Teenee ThaiPBS Facebook page for a programme on the ThaiPBS television channel, conducted polls.
Other polls on the same issue included one on the Drama-addict Facebook page, which has over 1.8 million followers.
As of press time, its poll launched at 3pm on Wednesday saw 95% of 73,500 respondents saying they wanted Gen Prawit to step down.
Below is a ThaiPBS report (Thai language) on the Prawit crisis, including public response.
นับถอยหลัง...ประวิตร
— ThaiPBS (@ThaiPBS) February 1, 2018
กับกลุ่มสนับสนุน และ โพลจากชาวโซเชียล #ThaiPBS #ข่าวค่ำมิติใหม่ทั่วไทย pic.twitter.com/wXAZh6UPIN
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thursday he sympathised with Gen Prawit over the watch scandal. But he said things would not have got out of hand if Gen Prawit had clarified the matter right from the start. Consequently, the scandal has continued to haunt him and the regime, the former premier said.
"We must try to create a culture of explaining ourselves or of political accountability to prevent politics from getting stuck in a trap... We must do everything to stop this from obstructing the country's progress," Mr Abhisit said.
Meanwhile, about 30 people from Sa Kaeo, Prachin Buri and Samut Prakan provinces and the Klong Lat Phrao community of Bangkok converged at the Defence Ministry Thursday in a show of moral support for Gen Prawit.
They called on Gen Prawit not to resign while insisting that the gathering was not organised by anyone but themselves.
Gen Rungroj Chamrasromran, assistant to the defence minister, accepted flowers from the crowd on behalf of Gen Prawit who was attending a meeting at the Royal Thai Police.
Political activist Veera Somkwamkid wrote on Facebook urging deputy national police chief Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul to take legal action against the group of Gen Prawit supporters.
The group broke the law governing public assembly which bans political gatherings of more than five people, Mr Veera said, adding that these are also prohibited within 150 metres of royal palaces.
If no action is taken against the group, Mr Veera said he would sue Pol Gen Srivara for dereliction of duty.
Mr Veera is among anti-government demonstrators who have been charged with breaking the law governing public assembly for gathering on the skywalk near Pathumwan intersection on Saturday night to oppose any delay to the general election, which Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had promised would take place in November.
On Thursday evening, a group of activists against the military-led government held a "campaign of silence" between the BTS's Siam station and Siam Paragon Department Store, demanding no legal action be taken against 30 people who earlier protested in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre against the government's decision to delay the general election.
Five people protested by standing in front of the department store for half and hour with tape covering their mouths. They also crossed their hands in front of themselves to suggest they were being "handcuffed" by the state.
Nuttaa Mahattana, a leader of the campaign, said she wanted to show to the public how ordinary people are suffering by not being able to speak their minds against the military regime.
"I am going to condemn what the junta government did to the people who gathered in peace to demonstrate their right to freedom of expression under the law. They have punished by the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO]. We have been forced to be silent for four years," she said.
Also Thursday, the Pheu Thai Party declared that the NCPO and government have lost all legitimacy to remain in office.
It accused them of limiting people's freedom, intending to prolong their grip on power and placing their own cronies in roles in independent organisations.
