Bangkok, Sep 10 (IANS): Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday reiterated that he will not use force against student protesters who have planned a major anti-government rally on September 19.

"I already gave my word at Parliament yesterday," Xinhua news agency quoted Prayut as saying.

"I regard these students like my own children."

Prayut said he had already instructed police to be cautious and lenient in dealing with the young protesters.

Ttudent protest rallies have been an ongoing event amid the pandemic and the enforcement of the State of Emergency.

The protesters are demanding dissolution of the government headed Prayut, a former army chief who seized power in a 2014 military coup and returned as the country's civilian premier after a controversial election last year.

Thai universities and government leaders have said repeatedly that student protests are allowed to be organized, as long as they are held within the framework of the law.