Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has insisted he and his soldiers do not want a reprieve under the amnesty bill.
He made the comment in response to reports the government is citing the army's role in the April-May 2010 crackdown on red-shirt protesters to pressure the army to accept an amnesty offer.
Gen Prayuth said he had talked to his soldiers to hear their views on the amnesty bill offering a blanket reprieve and they insisted they did not want an amnesty.
He said the army was not a party to the political conflict and soldiers are officials of the state who perform their duties under the law.
Gen Prayuth said he himself did not want an amnesty either.
"I am not a villain, there is no need to give me an amnesty. I will fight the case [in court]," Gen Prayuth said.
He said accounts had emerged only of soldiers shooting people during the 2010 violence, but nobody dared say what actually happened.
"People only talk about soldiers attacking people. But nobody dares say what actually happened. I don't know why they do not say that soldiers were also fired at," Gen Prayuth said.
"I insist that soldiers always perform their duty honestly and sincerely in all circumstances. I want you to understand them," he said.
"Men in black" were accused of firing bullets and grenades at soldiers in April and May 2010, leading to a score of injuries and deaths among troops. They were believed to have received military training.
A source in the ruling Pheu Thai Party said Monday the party was supporting an amnesty bill that would offer pardons to demonstrators and leaders of all parties involved in unrest from 2004 to August this year.
The amnesty would include deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was prosecuted after the coup against him in 2006. The bill by Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema originally did not favour Thaksin but a parliamentary scrutiny committee expanded its coverage.
According to the source, the revised amnesty bill could be tabled for its second reading in parliament tomorrow or Thursday.
If the bill faces fierce attacks from the opposition, the ruling party may turn to an amnesty bill by Pheu Thai list-MP Chavalit Wichayasuth.
That amnesty bill does not cover protest leaders and authorities who cracked down on demonstrators, so former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban would not stand to benefit.