The government will not amend the controversial lese majeste law, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday.
Taking a clear stance on the issue for the first time, the prime minister said the institution of the monarchy should be protected and not interfered with.
"We must not bring the monarchy into our business. As Thais, we have to protect the institution, not exploit it," Ms Yingluck said.
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The prime minister made the statement in response to the latest call by the Nitirat group of law lecturers to amend the law. She said the government is more concerned about protecting the institution than changing Article 112 of the Criminal Code to protect freedom of speech.
Article 112 prohibits defamation of the monarch. But critics say it is misused to further political ends.
The Nitirat group comprises seven lecturers from Thammasat University. They started collecting signatures to press for an amendment to the law on Sunday.
Ms Yingluck said the government's main concern is solving economic problems and rehabilitating the country after the floods.
Ms Yingluck said people need to turn to one another and cooperate instead of focussing on amending the lese majeste law. "Right now, many people are still in trouble and need help so they can lead a normal life after the floods," Ms Yingluck said. "The economy dropped in the fourth quarter of last year.
"We need to hurry up and restore confidence. I would like to ask everyone to concentrate and help out on this matter instead."
Asked what her government would do to protect the royal institution from a growing number of insulting websites, Ms Yingluck said she would rather focus on campaigning for better understanding. She asked that all agencies support such a campaign.
Regarding the demand for amending the lese majeste law by the Nitirat group, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said some people are proposing extreme ideas that can't be possibly pursued in Thailand.
"Some people seem to overreach their bounds and express their wishes to amend Section 112," he said.
"What right do they have to change it? What power? They can only talk.
"The [Pheu Thai] party will never change this law. I will also oppose anyone who proposes that it is changed."
The deputy prime minister said Pheu Thai's priority is to amend the constitution because that is what it promised the public during the election campaign. He insisted the government will not touch the section concerning the monarchy when amending the 2007 charter.
The Nitirat group also drew flak for its proposal to change a section of the constitution that requires a new head of state to be sworn in and vow to protect the constitution.
Sattra To-on, a law lecturer from Rangsit University and a member of the Siam Prachapiwat group, said he will explore a way to petition the attorney-general to look into the group's proposal and ask the constitution court to consider asking it to stop its action.
He said that any action deemed as an attempt to lower the status of the King violates several sections of the 2007 constitution. He cited as an example Section 2 which describes Thailand as being under a constitutional monarchy, Section 8 which prohibits any individual from insulting the King, and Section 68 which forbids any person from overthrowing the constitutional monarchy.