THAILAND: Thai military takes control of the government in a coup, saying it has to restore order and push through reforms, two days after imposing martial law, and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban is taken away by troops
Record ID:
566380
THAILAND: Thai military takes control of the government in a coup, saying it has to restore order and push through reforms, two days after imposing martial law, and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban is taken away by troops
- Title: THAILAND: Thai military takes control of the government in a coup, saying it has to restore order and push through reforms, two days after imposing martial law, and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban is taken away by troops
- Date: 22nd May 2014
- Summary: ARMY CLUB, BANGKOK, THAILAND (MAY 22, 2014) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS STANDING IN LINE VEHICLE BELIEVED TO CARRY ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST LEADER, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN, DRIVING AWAY MILITARY OFFICIALS LEAVING ARMY CLUB SOLDIERS STANDING GUARD OUTSIDE ARMY CLUB MILITARY OFFICIALS LEAVING ARMY CLUB OFFICIAL CARS LEAVING ARMY CLUB MILITARY TRUCKS LEAVING ARMY CLUB (MUTE) SOLDIERS DIRECTING MEDIA AWAY FROM SCENE (MUTE) VARIOUS SOLDIERS CLEARING AREA AROUND ARMY CLUB (MUTE) VEHICLE CARRYING DELEGATES TO MEETING DRIVING AWAY SOLDIERS PUSHING MEDIA BACK VARIOUS OF VEHICLE BELIEVED TO CARRY ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST LEADER, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN, DRIVING AWAY SOLDIERS ARRIVING AT ARMY CLUB VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS FORMING A LINE TO PUSH REPORTERS BACK VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS BEING DIRECTED WHERE TO STAND
- Embargoed: 6th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAE5Z7QARMTOLUTL27T9F0QC7BS
- Story Text: Thailand's army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized control of the government in a coup on Thursday (May 22), two days after he declared martial law, saying the army had to restore order and push through reforms.
Prayuth made the announcement after a meeting to which he had summoned the rival factions in Thailand's drawn-out political conflict, apparently with the aim of finding a solution to six months of anti-government protests.
The military later declared a 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. curfew.
Hundreds of soldiers surrounded the meeting at Bangkok's Army Club shortly before the coup announcement and troops took away Suthep Thaugsuban, leader of the protests against the pro-Thaksin government.
Some of the other meeting participants were being held back in the venue afterwards.
In a first round of talks on Wednesday (May 21), Prayuth had called on the two sides to agree on a compromise that would have hinged around the appointment of an interim prime minister, political reforms and the timing of an election.
Wednesday's talks ended inconclusively with neither side backing down from their entrenched positions, participants said.
Leaders of the ruling Puea Thai Party and the opposition Democrat Party, the Senate leader and the five-member Election Commission had joined the second round of talks on Thursday.
Thailand is locked in a protracted power struggle between supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and opponents backed by the royalist establishment that has polarised the country and battered its economy.
The Thai army has a long history of intervening in politics - there have been 18 previous successful or attempted coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, most recently when Thaksin was deposed in 2006.
The army declared martial law on Tuesday (May 20), saying the measure was necessary to prevent violence, but it rejected accusations the measure amounted to a coup. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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