scheduled.

The retired general, who is in charge of national security, also dismissed concerns that the spat between Seri Ruam Thai party leader Pol Gen Seripisut Temiyavej, a former national police chief, and Army Commander-in-Chief General Apirat Kongsompong might spiral out of control and culminate in yet another coup.

Coup fears were fueled by a billboard in the First Army Region showing a remark made by Seripisut on TV which reads “Had it not been for the last coup, and if the then prime minister had been a career politician, I would not have been appointed the national police chief.”

“There will be no coup,” said the deputy prime minister with a laugh, adding “There is nothing to be worried about.  Everything is fine and moving toward the election.”

The spat stemmed from Seripisut’s criticism of Apirat’s army insignia which was deemed as insulting, prompting the latter to file a defamation lawsuit with the Criminal Court against the ex-police chief.

The Constitutional Court on Thursday ordered the pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart party dissolved as a punishment for its nomination of Princess Ubolratana as its prime minister candidate in the upcoming election.  It also banned all the party’s executives from running in elections or setting up political parties for 10 years.  The verdict has also resulted in all the Thai Raksa Chart’s candidates in the election being disqualified.