THAILAND: Hundreds gather in central Bangkok to protest coup, Thai military attempt to stop them
Record ID:
695069
THAILAND: Hundreds gather in central Bangkok to protest coup, Thai military attempt to stop them
- Title: THAILAND: Hundreds gather in central Bangkok to protest coup, Thai military attempt to stop them
- Date: 23rd May 2014
- Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (MAY 23, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING "PRAYUTH GET OUT" PROTESTER HOLDING PAPER READING (English) "ANTI-COUP / ALL WE NEED IS ELECTION" SOLDIERS RUNNING / GETTING OFF TRUCK SOLDIERS SOLDIERS FACING PROTESTERS PEOPLE FACING MILITARY HOLDING BANNERS WITH SLOGANS AGAINST COUP SOLDIERS CARRYING GUNS FACING PEOPLE MORE PEOPLE ARRIVING/SHOUTING AT MILITARY PEOPLE FACING SOLDIERS / MAN HOLDING PAPER READING (English) "WE VOTE" SOLDIERS WALKING OUT OF CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "Soldiers should be with the traitor, (anti-government protest leader) Suthep's group or they should return to their camp. They cannot do this to people." PROTESTERS WALKING SOLDIERS WATCHING POLICE AND SOLDIERS WALKING IN STREET
- Embargoed: 7th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7QVIIH5V5WMQY5G48YLL350S
- Story Text: Hundreds of people gathered in front of a shopping mall in central Bangkok on Friday (May 25) to protest the military coup.
Holding banners and chanting slogans, the protesters urged the military to quit and hold democratic elections as soldiers tried to disperse them.
"Soldiers should be with the traitor, (anti-government protest leader) Suthep's group or they should return to their camp. They cannot do this to people," said one unidentified protester.
Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha launched his coup on Thursday (May 22) after rival factions refused to give ground in a struggle for power between the royalist establishment and a populist government that had raised fears of serious violence and damaged the economy.
Soldiers detained politicians from both sides when Prayuth announced the military take-over, which drew swift international condemnation, after talks he was presiding over broke down.
The military summoned ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to a meeting and then banned her and 154 others, including politicians and activists, from leaving the country.
The military has censored the media, dispersed rival protesters in Bangkok and imposed a nationwide 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.
Prayuth has said reforms were needed before an election can be held and enlisting the help of the civil service.
The armed forces have a long history of intervening in politics - there have been 18 previous successful or attempted coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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