Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has dismissed cabinet shake-up reports as "unproductive" to the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
Speculation over a cabinet reshuffle surfaced last week after royal endorsement of the amended interim charter, which allows previously banned politicians to become cabinet ministers.
There were also reports the Prayut Chan-o-cha government would form a national unity government comprising of politicians from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties, and representatives from other groups.
"This kind of report [about a reshuffle and a national government] isn't productive to the government and the NCPO," Gen Prawit said Monday.
He added that Prime Minister Prayut had never mentioned an impending cabinet reshuffle, and that the PM had described the rumours as "nonsense".
The premier was more concerned about pressing issues such as how to help farmers during the drought, creating jobs or implementing megaprojects, Gen Prawit said.
He added it had never been the plan of the NCPO to install a government with opposing camps on board.
The government wanted to help all sides to reconcile their differences before an election takes place, Gen Prawit said. Forming a national unity government was out of the question as no one had a mandate to make it happen. "And more importantly who will listen to who [in that government]?" he said.
Gen Prawit acknowledged reports of a national government had circulated in social media, and had named army chief and Deputy Defence Minister Udomdej Sitabutr as a possible new prime minister. Somkid Jatusripitak, an economic adviser to the NCPO, was also strongly tipped to join the cabinet.
Prawase Wasi, a scholar, suggested earlier this month that a government should be set up to unite politicians from rival camps, and that qualified people should be appointed to lead Thailand's return to democracy.
Gen Prawit urged politicians to stay patient as the NCPO and the government worked on laying down a framework for political reform.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam also stressed the decision to make changes to the cabinet line-up belonged solely to the prime minister.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya said he had heard reports about the cabinet reshuffle, but paid them no attention.
Mr Pitipong said, however, there might be pressure on some cabinet ministers to leave their posts. He is said to be among those ministers on their way out.
Gen Prawit, also the defence minister, added the peace process in the deep South was improving. The 4th Army Region commander and deputy army commander Gen Aksara Kerdphol will oversee the Thai negotiation teams as they work on peace talks with the insurgents.
Gen Prawit said Malaysia was playing a key part in the peace talk process between the Thai government and insurgent groups. A couple of preparatory meetings have been held. The talks, which stalled last year, could resume at the end of the year, according to a source.
The progress of peace talks could be gauged by the amount of violence in the region, Gen Prawit said. If it eased, it would signal that representatives from the insurgent groups had real decision-making powers.