The Thai army Commander on Tuesday declared Martial Law. At the crack of dawn, deployed troops were found in the heart of Bangkok in an attempt to end months of political turmoil and violence that has claimed 28 lives to date.
The army’s commander, General Prayuth Chan-ocha said that there was need for the military to step in to restore order while inviting pro and anti government protesters for dialogue.
“We ask all sides to come and talk to find a way out for the country,” Prayuth told reporters after meeting directors of government agencies and other high-ranking officials.
Prayuth warned pro- and anti-government protesters to avoid violence, and said martial law would be revoked after peace and order had been restored. Earlier, the military insisted the intervention was not a coup d’etat and said in a statement: “The public do not need to panic and can continue on with normal life.”
“The royal Thai army intends to bring back peace and order to the beloved country of every Thai as soon as possible,” said Prayuth in the statement, adding: “We intend to see the situation resolved quickly.”
On Monday, the caretaker prime minister, Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, refused protesters’ demands to step down. The army did not inform the caretaker government of its plan to declare martial law.
While troops were deployed along a number of roads in Bangkok and soldiers took back Government House and other buildings that had been occupied by anti-government protesters, the situation in the capital remained largely calm, with schools and businesses open and traffic flowing as usual.
The justice minister, Chaikasem Nitisiri, told the Associated Press that although the army had not consulted Niwattumrong about the declaration, the caretaker government was still running the country and the army was in charge of security.
“Security matters will be handled solely by the military, and whether the situation intensifies or is resolved is up to them,” he said. “There is no cause to panic.”
Thailand has been gripped by off-and-on political turmoil since 2006 when the then prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by a military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The army, which is seen by many as sympathetic to anti-government protesters, has staged 11 coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.
One anti-government protester, Wichada, who has been on the streets for nearly 200 days, welcomed the intervention. “We’re very happy about the army’s announcement because it means they are on our side,” she told the Guardian from a protest camp next to Democracy Monument in Bangkok’s old city.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a specialist on Thai affairs and associate professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said martial law could break the impasse of the past six months. “The government is unable to govern, and the protesters’ goals haven’t been realised, so both sides now have to answer to martial law,” he said.
Thitinan said the army had placed itself in a precarious position. “It now has to walk a tightrope, not too far in the government’s camp, not too far in the protesters’ camp. The army had better have a good game plan – the other sides knew what they wanted, but it’s not clear if the army does.”
