THAILAND: Hundreds join a candlelight protest against military rule in Thailand's northeastern city of Chiang Mai, a day a bloodless coup

Record ID: 695236

  • Title: THAILAND: Hundreds join a candlelight protest against military rule in Thailand's northeastern city of Chiang Mai, a day a bloodless coup
  • Date: 24th May 2014
  • Summary: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (MAY 23, 2014) (REUTERS) CROWD OF PEOPLE HOLDING CANDLES PROTESTERS STANDING HOLDING CANDLES UP PROTESTERS PLACING CANDLES ON THE GROUND MAN HOLDING BANNERS READING (Thai): "I HATE YOU BAD SOLDIERS" (RIGHT) / "I HATE YOU COUP MAKER" (LEFT) MORE OF PEOPLE STANDING VARIOUS OF LIT CANDLES ON THE GROUND PEOPLE MARCHING PAST CHANTING (Thai): "NO MILITARY" and "GET OUT" MORE OF PEOPLE MARCHING, BANNER READING (English): "NO COUP" PEOPLE MARCHING PAST CHANTING (Thai): "NO MILITARY" and "GET OUT"
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABWPJ7DZFWATGW9LUT7ORRBYL2
  • Story Text: Hundreds of people gathered in Thailand's northeastern city of Chiang Mai on Friday evening (May 23) for a candlelight protest against military rule, a day after the army chief seized power amid a political crisis.
    Holding candles and carrying banners they marched through the streets condeming the coup.
    The army staged a coup on Thursday (May 22) after failing to forge a compromise in a power struggle between a populist government and the royalist establishment, which brought months of sometimes violent unrest to Bangkok's streets.
    Despite international calls for the restoration of democratic government, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has not promised a swift return to civilian rule, insisting there must be broad reforms and stability first.
    Chiang Mai is the hometown and powerbase of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is also the brother of ex prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
    Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon-turned politician won huge support among the poor but the royalist establishment, mainly because of accusations of corruption and nepotism.
    Earlier on Friday, Yingluck, who was forced to step down by the court on May 7, was summoned by the military and later escorted to an undisclosed military facility for further talks, a military source said.
    Prayuth also summoned civil servants to ask them to help with his political reforms so that elections could be held.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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