Posted on 05/19/2014 4:08:39 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
The army in Thailand has announced the imposition of martial law amid political crisis "to keep law and order".
The army has also granted itself wide-ranging powers to enforce its decision.
The military said it had taken the action to preserve peace and order.
The move comes after a long-running political crisis, and escalating tensions between the government and the opposition.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Does Obama have his little Twitterers at work over there too?
Coup d’état underway???
Nothing in the US news about it. Do they never cover serious events like this.
Thailand?
Twitter:
“Martial Law declared in all Thailand since 3am 20th May 2014. Soldiers in control of most TV stations now.”
We were in Thailand several months ago. The “protesters” were few but vocal. Commie agitators, I’d say. Probably, Clown Prince nobama’s friends.
Nah, but they can tell you everytime Kim Kardashian goes to the bathroom.
Call out the Elephants!
Tweets:
-05.20 am Troops are at ASTV, VoiceTV, Springnews, #nation, ThaiPBS, Ch 7, Ch 3 already
-04:30 am, Army arrives at the Nation building in Bangna-Trat rd.
-There is apparently going to be an announcement soon on national TV which will hopefully clear up any confusion of whose in charge
-6:15am So far we are being told by the media that this is NOT a coup. Hopefully the acting PM will soon assure us that himself
Well, this is going to get interesting. Is the army coming in to help keep the caretaker government in power till some elections can be worked out, or will they side with the yellow shirt protest movement and effectively stage a coup.
I was there in January when Yingluck declared a state of emergency and for the elections that were annulled, but since then the protests seem to lose some steam and the pro-Thaksin forces might have won the day were it not for the Constitutional court throwing Yingluck out of power.
Supposed to be back there in Sept, but if we end up with a coup and massive redshirt hordes descending on BKK I guess I’d have to rethink things. Don’t want to be there for a rerun of 2010.
Military stresses that move ‘is not a coup’ but meant to ‘restore peace and order for people from all sides’
Thailand’s army on Tuesday declared martial law across the crisis-gripped kingdom to restore order following months of anti-government protests that have left 28 people dead and hundreds wounded.
An announcement on military-run television said martial law had been invoked “to restore peace and order for people from all sides”, stressing that the move “is not a coup”.
http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/asia-pacific/140520-thailand-s-army-invokes-martial-law-military-tv
“The public do not need to panic but can still live their lives as normal,” it added.
It was not immediately clear if the move — which gives the military control of nationwide security — had been approved by the country’s embattled prime minister.
Glad someone observed the tradition. FReepers these days...
Apparently, the anti-gov protests have turned violent in recent days, with several dead.
Tweet from 15 May:
May 15
Today Prayuth came out to warns RS to stop killing or else he will put on martial law, which is not coup. Got that Journalists
There’s a north/south, socialist/monarchist divide I think. Something about yellows and reds.
The fight in Thailand is between the urban opposition and the rural governing party of the Thaksin family as I understand from the media.
The opposition uses street demonstrations and the courts to undermine the governing party which is still able to win the elections when they are held.
Thailand has 11 “successful” and 9 “unsuccessful” coup efforts in the 20th century for a total of 20. So far it’s the first in the 21st century.
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