Thailand's army invokes martial law: military TV

[webfact]

Thailand's army invokes martial law: military TV

BANGKOK, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - 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".

"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.

The imposition of martial law risks angering supporters of the government if it is seen as tantamount to a coup.

The dismissal of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra earlier this month in a controversial court ruling has sent tensions soaring in the kingdom, which has endured years of political turmoil.

Her "Red Shirt" supporters have warned of the threat of civil war if power is handed to an unelected leader, as demanded by the opposition.

Anti-government protesters refuse to participate in elections and say Yingluck's Puea Thai party administration lacks the legitimacy to govern.

They are calling on the upper house of parliament, the Senate, to invoke a vaguely worded clause in the constitution to remove caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan and appoint a new leader.

The Election Commission said last week that a general election scheduled for July 20 was "no longer possible" as polls could not be held without the support of the protesters.

An election held in February was annulled after demonstrators blocked voting.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-20

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Thai army invokes martial law to quell unrest
by Boonradom Chitradon

BANGKOK, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - 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".

"The public do not need to panic but can still live their lives as normal," it added.

The dismissal of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra earlier this month in a controversial court ruling has sent tensions soaring in the kingdom, which has endured years of political turmoil.

Her "Red Shirt" supporters have warned of the threat of civil war if power is handed to an unelected leader, as demanded by the opposition.

The country's embattled government was not consulted in advance about the imposition of martial law, said Paradorn Pattanatabut, chief security adviser to Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan.

"The caretaker government still exists with Niwuttumrong as caretaker prime minister. Everything is normal except the military is responsible for all national security issues," he said.

Anti-government demonstrators have vowed a "final battle" in the coming days to topple the prime minister.

Protest leaders now occupy a wing of the government headquarters, holding press conferences in an attempt to show the government lacks the authority to rule.

- Troops report for duty -

In a nationally televised statement, army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha announced that the government security agency overseeing the handling of the protests had been suspended.

"All army, air force and navy personnel should return to their respective units for duty," he added.

Under Thailand's constitution, the military has the right to declare martial law -- which gives the military control of nationwide security -- if urgently needed.

The move risks angering supporters of the government if it is seen as tantamount to a coup.

But the movement gave a cautious initial reaction to the news, saying that it would wait to listen to a full announcement by the army chief.

"With the declaration of martial law the government still exists and the constitutional laws still exist so basically it is not against our anti-coup stance," senior Red Shirts leader told AFP.

Thailand's army previously declared martial law in September 2006 following a bloodless military coup that ousted Yingluck's elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister.

The kingdom has suffered years of political turmoil since his overthrow, which angered supporters of the billionaire tycoon-turned-populist politician.

- Political deadlock -

Thailand's military has staged 18 successful or attempted coups since 1932 but government supporters have warned that they will not accept another move by the generals to seize outright power.

Southeast Asia's second biggest economy has been without a fully functioning government since December, disrupting government spending, spooking investors and deterring foreign tourists.

The economy shrank 0.6 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, official data showed Monday -- the first such contraction since 2011.

Anti-government protesters refuse to participate in elections without political reforms first, and say Yingluck's Puea Thai party administration lacks the legitimacy to govern.

They are calling on the upper house of parliament, the Senate, to invoke a vaguely worded clause in the constitution to remove the caretaker prime minister.

The Election Commission said last week that a general election scheduled for July 20 was "no longer possible" as polls could not be held without the support of the protesters.

An election held in February was annulled after demonstrators blocked voting.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-20

[zydeco]

Okay, any list of real restrictions and limitations that are in effect on our everyday lives?

[neverdie]

Ohhh here we go again. A case of DDSS (Different Day, Same Sh*t)

Edited May 19, 2014 by neverdie

[esprit]

Okay, any list of real restrictions and limitations that are in effect on our everyday lives?

Only democrasy

[TVGerry]

And so it begins...

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

So it is 6 AM and I am watching CNN. No mention of it.. Let's try BBC.

[Songhua]

NBT tv is off the air at the moment

[kotsak]

Does this mean that the red shirt convoys coming into BKK will have to do a u-turn? :>

[chooka]

All over the Australian media at the moment (Headlines) and they are indicating a coup is about to be performed.

[EricBerg]

Martial law but not a coup. Could perhaps give the army more means to prevent shootings as the recently discovered assault rifles were being owned and "protected" by high ranking police officers and government officials.

Pleasant side effect: Jatuporn can be picked up now? He'll be screaming war no doubt. And he was trying to ignite one anyway.

[Payboy]

Does this mean a shortage of popcorn?

[Bluespunk]

Coups, floods, extra judicial killing sprees, occupation and burning of buildings in capital, political chaos on the streets, rice policies, corrupt governments, civil war, irrational violence and now martial law.

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in some sort of extra terrestrial soap opera rather than a country.

[bkkjames]

Capo has been dissolved? lots of updates on Richard Barrows twitter feed btw.

[chooka]

So it is 6 AM and I am watching CNN. No mention of it.. Let's try BBC.

Tune into Australian media it is all over it.

[Songhua]

T News showing a military proclamation that CAPO is no longer to exist.

Also nobody in or out of Aksa

[saakura]

Suthep, bad monk, Jatuporn and all their hardcore lackeys should go home and take some rest and think about the damage done so far.

[Mosha]

This was on BBC yesterday

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27465493

[kotsak]

On BBC now

[GeorgeO]

Martial law but not a coup. Could perhaps give the army more means to prevent shootings as the recently discovered assault rifles were being owned and "protected" by high ranking police officers and government officials.

Pleasant side effect: Jatuporn can be picked up now? He'll be screaming war no doubt. And he was trying to ignite one anyway.

I'm pretty sure that the discovery of an arms cache in a vehicle owned by a government 'minister' was the catalyst for this. The Army needs to bring this senior figure in, and it would have been difficult without taking a major step, such as martial law.

As for Jatuporn, he needs to make only one remark about 'fighting' against this decision to find his ass back in jail.

[TimCM]

Why does Thailand even have a military? All they do is covert power and money.

The role of the military is to defend the country and we have seen what happens if someone attacks Thailand in the past. The military runs home to cry to their mums.

[Somtamnication]

What took so long? Finally, peace. Sort of.

[GeorgeO]

T News showing a military proclamation that CAPO is no longer to exist.

Also nobody in or out of Aksa

...can one speculate from this exactly who the senior figure was who owned the vehicle containing the cache of weapons...?!

[chooka]

Suthep, bad monk, Jatuporn and all their hardcore lackeys should go home and take some rest and think about the damage done so far.

Now the Army should be rounding up everyone from both sides who have warrants against them. Suthep and his guards will be no match against the military.

[NongKhaiKid]

So it is 6 AM and I am watching CNN. No mention of it.. Let's try BBC.

Johnathan Head has just said that people in Bkk are ' baffled " by the move and there are no details yet on what it will entail.

[soundman]

Stupid post quite possibly creating panic amongst those less knowledgeable about Thai affairs has been removed.

Be sensible in your posting and try and avoid rumour and speculation.

Thank-you for your co-operation.

[bkkgooner]

Martial law should never be invoked under any situation, an army that works against the people and becomes a police force completely misses the point they are meant to be the guardians of the country against outside forces, their role is to HELP Thai people not to fight against any of them.

The army have done NOTHING in the past few months and have been utterly ineffective in trying to stop violent attacks, let's see if they even have the balls to go and remove the few guards and the insane monk who have managed to hold onto a gigantic government complex for about 6 months. They have been getting destroyed in the south for years and were really outrageously stupid in 2010 as well.

[bkkjames]

For Fun:

Let's keep the debate to other threads (take your pick) and keep this one for news updates on what's going on.

A stretch I know but worth a shot. lol

[Tokay]

Is there a list of restrictions anywhere for what this actually means? I'm about to leave for Bangkok in two days.

[GeorgeO]

Why does Thailand even have a military? All they do is covert power and money.

The role of the military is to defend the country and we have seen what happens if someone attacks Thailand in the past. The military runs home to cry to their mums.

The simple answer to your question is, given the state of the police force here, without the Army, Thailand would already be in a state of anarchy.

The Army is clearly paying attention to what you correctly state is their role and defending the country. Since it is now clear that the PTP is involved in providing weaponry, despite their best efforts to avoid this being revealed, they have now shown their true colours, and the Army must step in to prevent these weapons being used on innocent people.

[taotoo]

Coups, floods, extra judicial killing sprees, occupation and burning of buildings in capital, political chaos on the streets, rice policies, corrupt governments, civil war, irrational violence and now martial law.

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in some sort of extra terrestrial soap opera rather than a country.

Probably 70% of those issues also apply to your home country.