Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday quashed rumours of a coup attempt, decrying it as "fake news".
Rumours about the coup have been rife ever since the reigning monarch of Thailand, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, publicly disapproved of the political aspirations of his older sister Princess Ubolratana.
In the viral Section 44 order - which has now been deemed false by the Prime Minister - Prayut had allegedly transferred chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy to positions of inspector at the Prime Minister's Office, reports Bangkok Post.
"General Prawit ordered security authorities to monitor the situation and the transmission of fake information in violation of the computer crime law. We are looking for the source of the fake information," Lieutenant General Kongcheep Tantrawanit, the spokesman of the Defence Ministry stated.
The spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Colonel Winthai Suvaree opined that the fake order could have been circulated to create disunity in the nation in the wake of the impending March 24 elections. "It might have been organised especially to have an impact on national order during this important period for the country," Suvaree put forth.
The Prime Minister has ordered investigations into the incident and has outlined his resolve to bring the perpetrators to book.
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