The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is ready to go after influential figures and officials involved in trafficking illegal workers from neighbouring countries, vows Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha appears on television for his pre-recorded weekly address on Friday.
"The NCPO will concentrate on a crackdown on influential persons who reap benefits from trafficking illegal labourers," the NCPO chairman said in his pre-recorded weekly programme on Friday.
The comments were broadcast at almost the same moment that the United States was announcing that Thailand had been moved to the bottom of a list of the worst countries in the world for human trafficking. (The full report is here.)
Gen Prayuth said traffickers pocketed 20,000 baht per worker for arranging their border crossing into Thailand. Each labourer was also forced to pay between 8,000 and 10,000 baht after getting inside the country, he said, citing intelligence information.
At least 200,000 workers returned to Cambodia over the past two weeks, panicked by reports that security authorities were preparing to crack down on illagel labour.
Gen Prayuth said the rumour was spread by influential figures and "corrupt" officials. Their intention, he said, was to sow panic so they would be able to collect even more money from the workers when they returned to Thailand.
"Our intelligence reports pointed to the operation of influential figures and corrupt officials who released scare stories to discredit the NCPO," he said. "They wanted workers to return to their countries so that they can make money again when they come to Thailand.
"The NCPO will quickly crack down on them."
The army chief said illegal workers would be allowed to work temporarily in the country while the junta worked out long-term solutions, including plans to register them and verify the nationality of undocumented workers.
One proposal he made was for reception centres to be set up to help groups such as the stateless Muslim Rohingya, who are fleeing persecution that borders on genocide in Myanmar.
Discussing the economic outlook, Gen Prayuth said the junta was willing to accept a budget deficit as spending on rail and transport systems will be high on its agenda for quick improvements.
The expenditure budget for the 2015 fiscal year has been set at 2.575 trillion baht with a deficit of 250 billion, he said. The fiscal year starts on Oct 1.
He defended the deficitas necessary to revitalise the sagging economy as the global economy had not improved as fast as hoped.
The army chief stressed that strict financial discipline would be followed to ensure that all spending would be for the public benefit. Redundant projects would be eradicated and authorities would foster cooperation among agencies undertaking the same project.
Investments in the pipeline will focus on infrastructure development with more mass-transit lines and dual tracks for the nationwide railway system deemed necessary, he said. Other projects included the building of the network to connect all mass-transit systems, he added.
The projects could start when the new fiscal year begins after the State Railway of Thailand and the Transport Ministry complete their detailed plans, Gen Prayuth said.
The NCPO chairman also vowed to make all state enterprises transparent and improve their efficiency so that they would be competitive with private organisations.
The chairmen and directors of a number of state enterprises have resigned in recent weeks to pave the way for reforms. The enterprises affected include Airports of Thailand Plc, PTT Plc and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand. Many of those who have been resigning had links to the deposed government.
"Persons with qualifications and business experienc including those with skills in management, marketing, finance and security will be sought (to join stateenterprises) in the short term," said Gen Prayuth.
"The management of state-owned agencies must be transparent, accoutable and efficient. Legal experts have been assigned by the NCPO to study a practical blueprint."
Turning to otherreform efforts, Gen Prayuth said 25 political party and opinion leaders had been called in to air their opinions on reform and another 25 would follow as preparations continue toward setting up a reform council.
Talks about reform including a focus group will completed in July, he added.