Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday urged the media to quit persisting with "false" claims that he has been blacklisted by the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) for exploiting the monarchy for political gain.
Mr Anutin, who also serves as a deputy prime minister and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, said the army and Isoc have already addressed the matter and insisted the claims were untrue. He said he believed the issue was now over and the media should drop it.
He declined to answer when asked if former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was backing him amid the allegations.
Mr Anutin also laughed off a reporter's question about whether Isoc would be dissolved, as suggested by critics. He serves as deputy director of the agency.
The agency has long faced criticism for its massive budget and vague responsibilities, which often overlap with other agencies. In 2023, the now-dissolved Move Forward Party proposed a bill seeking to abolish it.
On Saturday, army spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said the allegation about Mr Anutin being blacklisted was baseless and misleading.
The minister's name appeared in an internal intelligence report but not in a negative context, he said, adding it was in a manner supportive of the monarchy.
The controversy erupted after a parliamentary security commission meeting last Thursday revealed the existence of an Isoc document categorising individuals allegedly benefiting from royal references.
The list reportedly included high-profile figures such as Mr Anutin, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and Phayao MP Thamanat Prompow, who serves as an adviser to the Kla Tham Party, alongside groups accused of opposing the monarchy, including the Facebook page of the People's Party.
Maj Gen Winthai confirmed the document's authenticity but stressed it had been leaked and circulated without the proper context, leading to a misunderstanding both of the individuals named and of Isoc itself.