'The military have moved tanks for strategic purposes but I can confirm that there is no coup and the military has not been ordered to be on stand-by,' Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told AFP.

A government spokesman had moments earlier made an address on national radio urging the military to stay in their barracks, and denying that the government had any plans to remove the army chief.

Thailand has been on edge for days as thousands of anti-government demonstrators forced the closure of Bangkok's two airports.

Col Sunsern said the army was not willing to move in on the thousands of protesters currently camped out in the two airports, forcing the suspension of almost all flights out of the kingdom.

'There will be massive losses of lives if the army have to crack down on the protesters, much more than Oct 7,' he said, referring to a clash last month between police and protesters that left two people dead and nearly 500 hurt.

He also said that any moves to stage a coup could meet strong resistance from pro-government supporters, who have taken to wearing red shirts to counter the yellow ones of the anti-government groups.

'Facing off with the red-shirted people will also result in massive losses. Those two options are not suitable - that is why the army suggests both camps compromise,' he said.

The Thai government earlier in the day asked the military to stay in their barracks as rumours circulated that the army was plotting a coup as protests crippled the kingdom, a spokesman said.

'I would like to inform all military personnel to carry out your duty as usual. Do not make any movement or be on stand-by. This is to stop the coup rumours,' Mr Saikuar said on national radio.

Pwerful army chief General Anupong Paojinda has urged Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to call new elections to end the turmoil, but he has refused.

Mr Somchai, who is also defence minister, called an emergency cabinet meeting in the northern city of Chiang Mai on Thursday in a bid to halt the escalation of six-month protests aimed at toppling his government.

Mr Nattawut insisted the meeting had no hidden agenda, and denied rumours that the government wanted to remove General Anupong from his post.

'There is no agenda to sack or transfer any military commander, not a single one,' he said in his address.

'Public - you must not worry. Please live your lives as normal.'

The People's Alliance for Democracy protest group has repeatedly called on Gen Anupong to intervene to overthrow the democratically-elected government.

PAD protests in early 2006 against then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra helped lead to a bloodless military putsch that ousted him in September that year.

The army top brass has distanced itself from the PAD, and Gen Anupong insisted that his call on Wednesday for Mr Somchai to dissolve parliament did not amount to a coup. He said the government still had 'full authority.'

Rumours of a putsch in the kingdom quickly began circulating on Thursday, however, after Mr Somchai rebuffed Mr Anupong's request, leaving Thailand in a stalemate as the protesters also refused to back down.

The army has historically played a key role in politics in Thailand, which has seen 18 coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. -- AFP