On Thursday, after long political gridlock, protests and deadly fierceness, Thailand’s military scrapped the constitution and seized power in a coup. In eight years, this was the second coup of Thailand and since 1932 it’s the 12th.
Majority Thailand has been calm, with little if any military presence seen on the streets of the capital. Troops discrete demonstrators on Friday evening, detaining at least two people.
On Saturday, the demonstrators vowed to march to a nearby army base, but soldiers with riot shields prevented them. They later began walking to Victory Monument, a major city landmark about 9 kilometers away. Rows of soldiers and police were lined up on a road near the monument to stop the protesters.
Life in Bangkok was normal despite of a curfew that last for 7hours. TV and inflammatory postings on Social media were also restricted.
Several nations have condemned the coup. The United States, Thailand’s key ally, suspended $3.5 million in military aid on Friday, and State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington was reviewing a further $7 million in direct U.S. assistance. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “Country looked to Thai authorities to set out a quick clear timetable for elections to help re-establish the democratic framework of governance”.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay advised Thailand to “ensure respect for human rights and a prompt restoration of the rule of law in the country.”
Street protests started in November against then-Prime Minister Yingluck, and she dissolved the lower house of Parliament in a failed bid to ease the crisis. A court ousted her for nepotism this month but left the ruling party in place. Anti-government protesters wanted to install an unelected prime minister to make unspecified reforms they said would root out corruption and remove the Shinawatra family’s extensive influence from politics.
In first declaring martial law on Tuesday, the army said it needed to restore order. Last week, grenades fired at an anti-government protest site in Bangkok left three people dead and more than 20 injured. At least 28 people have died in protest-related violence since November.
Prayuth assumed the role of mediator by summoning key political rivals for their first face-to-face talks since the political turmoil escalated six months ago. Meetings on Wednesday and Thursday among bitter enemies failed to break the deadlock before Prayuth announced the coup.
