"In reply to all those people saying 'we can't stand it anymore', I would like to say that police officers feel the same. All officers are pushed to the limit. We have been performing our duty day and night with minimal sleep, and while the protesters can visit the rallies in shifts, coming and going as they please, the police are on constant call," he said.

Making an emotional appeal for a respite from the excessive workload, Achirawit said: "We are not infallible, and as a result of the lack of sleep, limited oxygen to the brain can result in disorientation and misjudgement. If anything happens as a result of this, the police will take the blame from the public."

Dismissing criticism that police were serving the government, the police general responded: "We have taken a neutral stance towards to the political situation all along."

Achirawit called on all parties involved in the political turmoil to take one step back and make a compromise for the sake of the country. He urged the media to avoid playing up provocative news angles in their coverage of the political stand-off.

Meanwhile, Army Commander General Sonthi Bunyarattaklin said the Army was fully prepared to adopt heightened security measures in the event of security alerts proceeding to Stage II, when military personnel might be deployed to assist the police. But he said in general, the situation was still under control.