By Peter Janssen (DPA)

BANGKOK —Thailand's ruling junta Friday summoned a score of leading politicians attached to the former government, which was ousted by a military coup.

The streets of the capital Bangkok were calm, with most public transport operating as normal on the first morning since the coup was announced by army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

The country has been under martial law since early Tuesday.

The military's National Peace and Order Maintenance Council (NPOMC), in an early-morning television broadcast, summoned 23 politicians to come to its headquarters immediately, without providing an explanation for the order.

Among those summoned were former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was dismissed from her post earlier this month by a constitutional court ruling, former prime minister and Yingluck's step-brother, Somchai Wongsawat, and her sister Yaowapa, who is Somchai's wife.

On Thursday, shortly after seizing power, the council called on Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, Thailand's last premier, to turn himself in along with cabinet members, but he never did, said NPOMC spokesman Colonel Winchai Suwaree. 

Anti-government protesters had sought to topple the former Pheu Thai party government, backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, during months of protests in the capital.

Thailand's last coup in 2006 ousted Thaksin – a deeply divisive figure who has been living in self-exile since mid-2008 – and led to about a year of rule by a military-appointed administration.

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Friday that she was "gravely concerned" about the military coup in Thailand.

"It is a volatile situation," Bishop told national radio.

The United Nations, United States, and the EU Thursday called for a swift return to civilian rule.

BANGKOK — A group of university lecturers has already staged a rally at Thammasat University to protest today’s military coup d’état and declaration of martial law.

Army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced on live television at 4.30 p.m. that the military had seized power from the caretaker government and formed the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council (NPOCM) as the new administration. 

In a follow-up announcement, the NPOCM re-affirmed that the country was still under nationwide martial law.

Thirty minutes later, political science and law academics gathered on Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus to stage a demonstration titled, "Sick and tired: run from martial law to search for democracy."

Among the protesters were prominent academics Puangthong Pawakapan, Somsak Jiamteerasakul, Prajak Kongkirati, and Viengrat Netipho.

"Bring back our voice!" one placard read. Others said, "Go home, brave soldiers. The people are going to vote," and "Soldiers are the fence of a house, don't fool us, you are not the house owners."

Dozens of other activists joined the professors in Laan Bho, the iconic courtyard inside the university where Thammasat students staged their rally against the military government in 1973.

Some activists marched to the nearby statue of Pridi Banomyong, the founder of Thammasat University who co-led the 1932 revolution that established Thailand as a constitutional democracy. The activists blindfolded the statue of Pridi in a symbolic protest.

Political science professor Puangthong told reporters she is deeply disappointed by the military's decision to launch a coup.

"The coups in the past never end with democracy or peace," Ms. Puangthong said, citing examples of the 1991 and 2006 coups that led to further unrest.

"Gen. Prayuth should see that all generals who launch coups never see a beautiful fate," Ms. Puangthong said.

Ms. Puangthong also urged the military to return the power to the people and organise an election as soon as possible. She added that she and her group will continue to express their opinions about the coup despite the military's attempts to censor dissent. 

On Tuesday, the military forbade academics from giving any comments to media that might "incite unrest."  Today, the military issued a ban on any public gatherings of more than five people. 

"The only thing the military has are weapons, but their weapons will never change the belief, faith, and opinions of the people," Ms. Puangthong said. "Their power will never be permanent. They can only scare off people temporarily."

Political history lecturer Mr. Prajak, who also attended the rally, told reporters that "coups never bring solution to problems like corruption, inequality, or conflict in the country.”

"In 2006, we already saw that the [military] government could not do anything to solve the problems," Mr. Prajak said.

He warned that today's coup, like the 2006 putsch, would only deepen division in the society. 

"They have destroyed all attempts to solve the problem in peaceful manner," Mr. Prajak said. 

Today's military takeover marks the 12th coup état in Thailand since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

BANGKOK — Rival rallies of pro- and anti-government protesters in Bangkok have been brought to an abrupt halt by a military coup staged at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday 22 May, 2014.

Minutes after the military takeover was announced live on national television, soldiers were seen approaching the rally site of pro-grovernment United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) on Aksa Avenue in western Bangkok.

Panic started to spread among UDD supporters when sounds resembling gunshots were heard from the direction of the approaching troops, lasting for five minutes.

Reporters and demonstrators immediately scurried for shelter, while Somwang Assarasee, a UDD activist, announced on stage that contact had been lost with the UDD leaders who attended the military meeting that preceded the coup announcement. 

At around 5:35 p.m. troops assumed the UDD stage and urged the Redshirt demonstrators to go home. Some troops also spread out to intercept vehicles carrying prominent UDD activists. 

Soldiers promptly detained UDD advisor, Weng Tojirakarn, who was speaking on the Redshirt stage.

After moments of confusion, a leader of the UDD’s northeastern chapter, Anuwat Thinrat, announced that the UDD would suspend all activities. He asked all Redshirt protesters to leave Aksa Avenue immediately "for their own safety."

It's not immediately clear whether anyone was injured in the process.

Meanwhile, the military also moved against the rally site maintained by the anti-government People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD). 

PCAD supporters had been celebrating the news of the coup, which marked a victory for the anti-government protest group that have been campaigning to oust the Pheu Thai-led government for almost seven months.

After playing songs written by His Majesty the King, and receiving blessings from a group of chanting monks, PCAD leader Thaworn Senniam said on the stage that all protesters must leave the area.

He added that the military had dispatched trucks to transport protesters to their home provinces.

Mr. Thaworn also stressed that PCAD will officially celebrate their "victory" over the former government on 26 May. 

"I'd like to thank the soldiers for taking care of us so well," Mr. Thaworn said on the stage.

Army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha announced the military coup d’etat this afternoon, two days after declaring nationwide martial law. 

In several follow-up announcements this evening, the military dissolved the caretaker government, suspended the 2007 constitution, and established a nationwide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The military also ordered top government officials to report to the military’s new governing commission immediately.

The whereabouts of Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, who did not attend the reconciliation talks that preceded the coup announcement, remain unknown. 

Today's military takeover marks the 12th coup état in Thailand since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

The most recent military coup ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. 

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact:[email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

By Peter Janssen (DPA)

BANGKOK — The Thai military staged a coup Thursday after efforts to reconcile rival political factions failed, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said in a television broadcast.

The coup leaders announced the revocation of the constitution, imposed a curfew and began clearing protest sites.

It had been necessary to seize power to prevent further violence, deaths and damage to property in the country after months of political turmoil, said Prayuth, who was flanked by the heads of the air force and navy.

"The National Peace and Order Maintainance Council has taken power on May 22, at 4:30 pm" (1130 GMT), Prayuth said.

The broadcast followed a swift end to the second day of reconciliation talks at the Army Club in Bangkok, where Prayuth had gathered representatives of rival factions to find a solution to the political stalemate.

The talks, which started Wednesday, were the first since anti-government protests broke out in early November.

They brought together representatives of the caretaker cabinet, the ruling Pheu Thai party, the opposition Democrat Party, the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the Senate and the Election Commission.

Caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan did not attend.

The PDRC has been protesting for seven months in a bid to bring down the government and make way for an appointed government and interim cabinet to oversee sweeping political reforms ahead of an election.

The caretaker government, the ruling Pheu Thai party and the pro-government UDD say it would be unconstitutional to appoint a prime minister, and that a new government must be elected.

Prayuth said Thursday he would push through reforms to satisfy all parties.

The coup would not affect Thailand's relations with its allies, he added.

The military imposed a curfew from 10 pm to 5am (1500 to 2200 GMT) and again declared the imposition of martial law nationwide. The commander-in-chief had first declared martial law on Tuesday.

The curfew and martial law was announced on TV by Colonel Winthai Suwali, spokesman for the National Peace and Order Maintainance Council, set up to run the country in the post-coup period.

Winthai also announced the revocation of the constitution.

The constitution, which was drafted by a military-appointed committee following the last coup of September 19, 2006, was revoked except for Article 2, which states that Thailand is a democracy under a constitutional monarchy with the king as head of state.

An order was issued for caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan to turn himself in.

A ban on political gatherings was also announced.

Soldiers began clearing the site of pro-government protesters in western Bangkok, shortly after the coup was announced.

Leaders of the group said the protesters should follow the directions of the soldiers, who were telling people to leave, a witness who gave his name only as Narat told dpa.

The demonstrators, known as Red Shirts, had been camped out for several weeks in support of the government amid wider protests against the administration and ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra.

This is the first coup in Thailand since 2006.