Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has brushed aside concerns of renewed conflicts if former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is impeached by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Friday.
From Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a question: "Do we have to reconcile with those who killed people and those who are corrupt?"
The NLA will vote on the impeachment cases against Ms Yingluck, former House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon and ex-Senate speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich.
Separate votes will be taken on the impeachment motions against the three.
Ms Yingluck faces impeachment for alleged dereliction of duty in the rice-pledging scheme. She chaired the National Rice Policy Committee when she was premier.
Gen Prayut said Monday he will not tolerate any unrest if the NLA votes to impeach the three, particularly Ms Yingluck. He insisted the law must be respected.
He warned people against mobilising supporters or instigating violence against the government.
"Is it right to use violence, bring out the masses and weapons or call on other nations to intervene?" he said.
He also brushed aside suggestions that the impeachment cases should be dropped in exchange for national reconciliation.
"Can we reconcile with those breaking the law? If so, do we have to reconcile with those who killed people and those who are corrupt?" Gen Prayut said.
He stressed that reconciliation can be achieved through dialogue but the law must also be upheld.
Those who break the law at any time will be punished depending on their crime and could serve jail terms before a pardon or an amnesty can even be considered, Gen Prayut said.
However, he said it is impossible to grant amnesty to people convicted in corruption cases.
Gen Prayut also said the NLA was set up to take on the legislative duties of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which were abolished after the May 22 coup, rather than hand down legal punishments.
Gen Prayut also shrugged off threats made by lawyers representing Ms Yingluck that they will file lawsuits against any NLA members who vote to impeach her.
Also on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon insisted that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has not told anyone how to vote on the impeachment cases.
"If there is any lobbying among NLA members prior to the impeachment votes, it would be an internal matter for the NLA to handle, and the NCPO would have nothing to do with it," he said.
The proceedings are a matter for the NLA while the government and the NCPO only ensure everything is carried out under martial law, Gen Prawit said, adding that there will be no extra security measures on the impeachment vote day.
Gen Prawit, who is also deputy NCPO chairman, said today's meeting between the cabinet and the NCPO is unlikely to discuss the impeachment motions against the three.
Gen Prawit said the cabinet and the NCPO would discuss general security, political, socio-psychological and economic issues, with the aim to try and speed up fixing the problems facing the nation.
Gen Prawit said he did not think the impeachment decisions would lead to unrest or political conflicts.
Asked whether the NCPO had given any directions to military officers sitting on the NLA on how they should vote on Friday, Gen Prawit said they should be able to differentiate between their roles as soldiers and NLA members.
Norawit Lalaeng, a member of Ms Yingluck's legal team, said she will appear in person before the NLA to deliver her closing statements in her impeachment case on Thursday.
He said Ms Yingluck's legal team is preparing her defence for the closing statements, based on the questions asked by the NLA inquiry committee and the National Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation report.
NLA member Boonlert Khachayutdej said he did not believe the impeachment bids against the three would succeed.
However, NLA member Prasarn Marukpitak said that if the NLA votes not to impeach, the public could lose faith in the assembly and the NCPO.