The National Security Council (NSC) says anti-government protest numbers are falling, while Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon adds the government has not sent anyone to hold talks with protest leaders.
Gen Prawit, who is in charge of national security, said the NSC presented the assessment to a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
When asked by reporters if the continued low turnout was a positive sign, Gen Prawit said: "Yes".
According to a government source, NSC secretary-general Nattapon Nakpanich told the cabinet meeting the number of protesters had surged after police used water cannons to disperse them at Pathumwan intersection on Oct 16.
But since Oct 24, turnouts were lower in subsequent rallies and the number has continued to fall to an average of 12,000 at each rally, the source quoted Gen Nattapon as saying.
However, the anti-government movement has still been active on social media, calling out the government on a wide range of issues including charter amendments, the source said, adding the government has been monitoring the so-called third party which might instigate violence.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday attended a meeting of the Internal Security Operations Command at the Army Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to discuss security issues.
Also present at the meeting were Deputy Defence Minister Chaichan Changmongkol, defence forces chief Gen Chalermpol Srisawasdi, army chief Narongphan Jittkaewtae, and the NSC secretary-general.
A source at the meeting said security agencies were instructed to keep an eye on a group of high school student activists calling themselves "Bad Students", who have scheduled a rally for Saturday in front of the Education Ministry. They plan to reiterate their demand for Nataphol Teepsuwan to resign as education minister.
Security agencies were also told to prepare security arrangements for Their Majesties the King and Queen who will travel to preside over the official opening ceremony of the MRT electric rail route from Sanam Chai station to Lak Song station on Saturday.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai yesterday said he has approached former prime ministers to join the proposed reconciliation committee.
The invitees, however, do not include ex-premiers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra who fled the country and remain in self-exile abroad.
Parliament is now seeking to bring in "neutral representatives" for the committee, Mr Chuan said.
Mr Chuan also said that politicians are largely to blame for past and current political conflicts.
"If we look back, conflicts were mostly caused by politicians involved in a political divide, so much so that that some provinces were off-limits to certain politicians. We have to study how to prevent similar conflict in the future," Mr Chuan said.
Dialogue is the only solution and parliament should serve as a forum to sort out the conflict together, he said.
