Martial law gravitates to military coup in Thailand

BANGKOK

Two days after Thailand's army chief announced that his imposition of martial law was "not a coup," it became one - General Prayuth Chan-ocha again taking to television, but he now said the military "had" taken control of the country's embattled government.

"In order for the country to quickly return to normal the National Peace Keeping Committee comprised of the army, the Thai armed forces, the Royal Air Force and the police need to seize power as of May 22 at 4.30 pm," he told TV cameras.

The move - which resulted in the nation's 19th coup in 82 years - is in response to a seven-month political deadlock that has seen protesters take to the streets, voters bullied, elections annulled and 28 people killed.

Chan-ocha added that the commission that imposed martial law will now take full control of Thailand’s government. The country's constitution was suspended, and the military later declared a 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. curfew.

Anti-government protesters gathered near a building housing the seat of government started to disperse after troops told them to go home. 

Meanwhile, a spokesman for thousands of pro-government "Red Shirt" activists gathered in Bangkok's western outskirts said that soldiers had fired in the air in an attempt to disperse them.

Protesters gathering in Bangkok for an afternoon event to announce their opposition to martial law were shocked.

“General Prayuth wants to be a hero. But there is a very fine line between being a hero and being a tyrant in this society," political scientist Puanthong Pawakapan told the Anadolu Agency.

"In the past a number of military leaders believed that by using military power, they can bring peace and stability back to the country, but they never led the country to peace and stability, instead there was bloodshed.”

Fay Suwathana, an academic, told AA that she was "disgusted." 

"We are here to ask that the military stop their involvement in politics, we're asking for an election and the return of our democratic values, [but] with this coup, the country will not be in peace," she said."

"We will fight until the end, until democratic rights are restored for all citizens,” she added.

Since Tuesday, the army has hosted daily meetings between the country's political rivals at a heavily-fortified military building in the capital in an effort to break a seven-month political deadlock that has seen protesters take to the streets, voters bullied, elections annulled and 28 people killed.

The Thai military has a long history of intervention in politics, with 19 coups carried out since the abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932. The last coup in 2006 overthrew then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the elder brother of recently deposed Prime Minister Yingluck. It started a lengthy political crisis that still continues today. However, this time, the military had appeared reluctant to intervene.

Pawakapan told AA that although he believes that General Chan-ocha wants to return peace and stability to Thailand, the path he has chosen may now lead the country to bloodshed. 

"He must listen to the voice of the majority of the people in the country. What they want is basic political rights. Please return these rights to them in order to avoid further bloodshed,” he said.

www.aa.com.tr/en