University students have not been prohibited from mocking Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon over his various wristwatches during Saturday's annual Chulalongkorn-Thammasat football match, spokesmen for the National Council for Peacekeeping said on Friday.
However, it was hoped they planned no activities that would cause disunity.
Spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree said officials normally ask organisers of the traditional football match not to allow any activities that would affect the image of any individual or organisation and cause public misunderstanding and hatred in society.
The organisers had cooperated well every year, he said, speaking on the eve of this year's football clash between the two at the National Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Another spokesman, Maj Gen Piyapong Klinphan, said students from the two universities were not prohibited from making fun of issues such as the luxury watch that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon wore.
The military were involved in the organisation of the football match only to guarantee safety and facilitate related activities, he said.
Activities mocking politicians were a normal part of the annual football match, and everything was likely to be done appropriately, Maj Gen Piyapong said.
Maj Gen Suwit Ketsri, commander of the 2nd Cavalry Division, said soldiers have not checked any of the effigies traditionally paraded at the match. They merely coordinated on security measures with police and district officials.
Gen Prawit, who also the defence minister, has been seen in photographs wearing what appear to be many different and expensive brand-name wristwatches not mentioned in his declaration of assets and liabilities when taking office. The National Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating the matter.
Critics of the military government have launched campaigns to gather people's support in demanding his resignation from the cabinet and government.