Thai general declares coup official

Thailand's military chief says they are taking control of the government to 'restore order' in the country.

In control ... Thai army soldiers have surrounded a building containing the nation's leaders after their general declared a coup d'etat. Picture: Nicolas ASFOURI Source: AFP

THAILAND'S military has seized power in a bloodless coup, dissolving the government, suspending the constitution and dispersing groups of protesters from both sides of the country's political divide who had gathered in Bangkok and raised fears of a violent showdown.

The powerful army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha announced the military takeover in a stunning statement broadcast on national television.

Coup announced ... Thailand General Prayut Chan-O-Cha (centre) announces in a televised address to the nation that the armed forces have seizing power after months of deadly political turmoil. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Thai television Source: AFP

It was followed by additional announcements, including a nationwide curfew from 10pm to 5am and an order for top government officials — including the ousted prime minister — to report immediately to the country's new governing military commission.

There was no immediate sign of soldiers patrolling central Bangkok, but troops dispersed the two protest sites where competing groups were camped out — one backing the ousted government and one that had struggled for six months to unseat it. There were no signs of resistance or reports of violence.

In power ... Thai soldiers arrive to set up roadblocks outside the main campsite of anti-government protesters near the Government House after the coup. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Long lines formed at the city's elevated train and subway stations as panicked office workers tried to rush home before the curfew.

Flanked by the heads of the armed forces, General Prayuth said the coup was launched "to quickly bring the situation back to normal, to let the people have love and unity as in the past, and to reform the political and economic systems — and to grant equality to every side."

An army spokesman later announced that it had dissolved the caretaker government and suspended the constitution, but said the Senate would remain in place.

The pivotal developments came after General Prayuth declared martial law on Tuesday, in what he called a bid to resolve the crisis.

On guard ... Thai soldiers block a motorcade at the Army Club shortly after the army staged a coup in Bangkok. Picture: AP Source: AP

A day later, he had summoned the country's rival political leaders for face-to-face talks. After two days of talks, the meeting failed to break the impasse.

Shortly before the coup announcement was made, armed soldiers in military vehicles surrounded the military facility where the politicians were meeting, apparently to block those inside from leaving.

Many of the country's highest-profile figures were summoned for the meeting. They included the acting prime minister — who sent four Cabinet ministers in his place — and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, as well as Suthep's rival from the pro-government Red Shirt group, Jatuporn Prompan.

Political instability ... Thai anti-government protesters watch the coup announcement on TV at their main campsite near the Government House. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Reporters at the meeting said Mr Suthep and Mr Jatuporn were escorted out of the meeting by soldiers.

A government official, Paradorn Pattanathabutr, contacted shortly after the coup announcement said that the four ministers attending the meeting were still being held by the military.

"The rest of us who are outside are still fine and in the safe places.

"However, the situation is very worrying. We have to monitor it closely and don't know what else can happen," he said.

Political instability

The overthrow caps months of increasing political tension, pitting a Bangkok-based royalist elite and its backers against the democratically elected government aligned to Thaksin, whose sister Yingluck was dismissed as premier earlier this month in a controversial court ruling.

Celebrating ... Anti-government protesters sing the national anthem in Bangkok after the government was overthrown. Picture: AP Source: AP

Thailand has been gripped by bouts of political instability for more than seven years.

The latest round of unrest started in November, when demonstrators took to the streets to try to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down.

They accused her of being a proxy for her popular billionaire brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence on a corruption conviction.

The coup announced Thursday was the 12th since the country's absolute monarchy ended in 1932.

The military was widely viewed as sympathetic to the protesters seeking to oust the current government.

"Stay calm" ... The military has urged locals to stay calm, saying tourists will be safe and urging public servants to continue to come to work. Picture: AP Source: AP

'Remain calm'

The tough-talking General Prayut said he seized power because of "the violence in Bangkok and many parts of the country that resulted in loss of innocent lives and property and was likely to escalate."

"We ask the public not to panic and to carry on their lives normally," General Prayuth said. "And civil servants stay in every ministry, carry on your responsibilities as normal."

The army chief said that the military would "provide protection" for foreigners in Thailand.

General Prayuth invoked the military's expanded powers on Tuesday and issued more than a dozen edicts that included moves to muzzle the media, the internet and vaguely defined threats to prosecute opponents.

At the time, the military had insisted it was not seizing power, but the move prompted widespread speculation in Thailand of an imminent coup.

Military coup ... Thai soldiers stand guard at a roadblock outside the Defence Ministry building after the coup. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Fears for the future

Some experts expressed fears the military takeover could unleash more turmoil.

"The coup is not a solution at all to end the crisis. This will become the crisis," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University.

"It shows the military has never learned the lesson from 2006," he said, referring to the cycle of political crisis stemming from Thaksin's overthrow.

Mr Pavin said the coup would make anti-government protesters "very happy".

Protests by the anti-Thaksin movement have rocked Thailand for months. Related violence has left at least 28 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Seizing power ... This handout picture released by the Thai Army shows Thai anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban (C) walking prior to meeting with General Prayut. Picture: AFP / Thai Army Source: AFP

The army chief likely took over due to the weakened caretaker government's refusal to make way for an interim regime, said Paul Chambers of the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs at Chiang Mai University.

"Since the caretaker government was resisting moving to an ad hoc prime minister, Prayut was pressured to take the 2006 option," he said.

The English-language newspaper The Bangkok Post ran a commentary Thursday titled "Coup or No Coup, Task Ahead Is Huge.''

The column questioned the military's intentions and its stated goal of imposing martial law to bring about a democratic solution.

Taking position ... An armed Thai soldier ducks behind a military vehicle in the compound of the Army Club shortly after the military staged a coup in Bangkok. Picture: AP Source: AP

"Will the army chief be able to persuade politicians to bridge their differences and start talking, to place the national interest beyond that of their own? No one knows,'' the column said.

"At this stage, the people realise they have no choice but to place their trust in the army chief.''

Suthep's anti-government movement, which started in November, had blocked elections and vowed to overthrow the Thai government.

Thousands of his supporters were gathered in Bangkok's historic district near the prime minister's office compound, which has been vacant for months due to security concerns.

The pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt" movement had called for new national polls they hope will provide a fresh mandate to the beleaguered elected government.

Coup ... Anti-government protesters lift a giant national flag during the national anthem is played at their protest camp in Bangkok. Picture: AP Source: AP

But the anti-government movement has first demanded vague political reforms that are widely seen as a bid to cripple the political power of Thaksin's family and allies, and some Thais welcomed the army takeover.

Arnusit Chenruk, a 39-year-old Bangkok office worker, said the coup was a "good" thing.

"Our country has been chaotic and has had no solutions for a long time."

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