Thailand Army Announces Military Coup On Live TV, Country's 12th Since 1932 ( Full Report - May 22 , 2014 ) ...... Updates 2: Thailand's military suspends the 2007 constitution and dismisses the caretaker government. Update: The Thai army has announced a nationwide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. after declaring a military takeover of the government to restore order.......... how long before US is forced to impose sanctions and cutoff military aid now that we have a de jure coup ?

Thailand Army Announces Military Coup On Live TV, Country's 12th Since 1932

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/22/2014 07:47 -0400

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Update 2: Thailand's military suspends the 2007 constitution and dismisses the caretaker government.

Update: The Thai army has announced a nationwide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. after declaring a military takeover of the government to restore order.

* * *

Two days ago, when reporting on the Thailand "non-coupy" martial law imposed by the army, which wasn't in charge, but really was or something, we summarized the situation as follows: THAI MILITARY CHANNEL 5 SAYS MARTIAL LAW `NOT A COUP'. "Ah, gotta love the New Normal: full of non-coupy martial laws." Moments ago, the New Normal regressed back to its Old Normal ways, when in a live statement on TV, the Thai army chief made the non-coupy coup coupy, and announced a military takeover of the government Thursday, saying the coup was necessary to restore stability and order after six months of political deadlock and turmoil.

AP reports that Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced in a statement broadcast on national television that the commission which imposed martial law Tuesday would now take control of the country's administration. We wonder why the army did not announce this two days ago when it imposed martial law over which the government had no say, but at this point all that matters is that news of the coup sends stocks to new all time highs.

"It is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command — which includes army, navy, armed forces and police — to take control of governing the country," Prayuth said.

The development followed two days of army-mediated meetings between the country's rival political leaders that failed to break the impasse. The meetings were held at an army facility in Bangkok.

Shortly before the announcement was made, armed soldiers in military vehicles surrounded the building, apparently to block those inside from leaving.

Thailand has been gripped by bouts of political instability for more than seven years.

The latest round of unrest started in November, when demonstrators took to the streets to try to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down. They accused her of being a proxy for her popular billionaire brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence on a corruption conviction.

That said, it is not like the locals have never seen this before: the coup was the 12th since the country's absolute monarchy ended in 1932.

As for what to call the government now, just call it the National Peace Keeping Committee:

veena T. @veen_NT

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New name appeared on screen NPKC - National Peace Keeping Committee คณะรักษาความสงบแห่งชาติ (ครส)

6:34 AM - 22 May 2014

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow

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Protest leaders at the meeting have been detained. But as the Thai PM didn’t attend he is in hiding somewhere in #Thailand #ThaiCoup

6:38 AM - 22 May 2014

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow

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5:30pm So far, social media in #Thailand is working & so we can share news on Twitter & Facebook. But not sure for how much longer #ThaiCoup

6:33 AM - 22 May 2014

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow

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5:15pm - RT @alicebudi: @JonahFisher breaking news on Thailand full military coup on @BBCWorld pic.twitter.com/71X0YiF2QD #ThaiCoup #Thailand

6:24 AM - 22 May 2014

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow

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Hashtags for coup in #Thailand are as follows: #ThaiCoup #ThailandCoup & #รัฐประหาร - Also follow #FreeThailand

6:21 AM - 22 May 2014

Thailand under curfew after army takeover

Army chief declares himself as the prime minister after military seizes power in country's 12th coup since 1932. Last updated: 22 May 2014 21:17

A nationwide curfew has been imposed in Thailand after the country's military seized power by dissolving the government and suspending the constitution. General Prayut Chan-Ocha, the army chief, announced on Thursday that a military commission that had imposed martial law a day earlier would take control of the country's government. He later declared himself the country's prime minister. The nationwide 10pm - 5am curfew was immediately put into effect. Al Jazeera's Veronica Pedrosa, reporting from Bangkok, said, "You could see the stalls that are usually open along the very busy Sukhumvit Road, the main commercial street here, packing up, getting ready to go home and the traffic was absolutely horrendous, worse than Bangkok traffic usually is, as everyone tried to rush home." Pedrosa added that the curfew would not be strictly enforced during the first night. "Everyone will probably get home okay without fear of arrest," she said, adding that people seemed to be following orders without being told what to do. Thais "know what it's like to be under military rule," she said. This is the country's 12th coup since the absolute monarchy ended in 1932. There had been 19 attempted coups as well in the period. Failed negotiations Thursday's coup announcement came after a second day of negotiations in the capital Bangkok between the army, political groups, senators and members of the election commission failed to resolve the country's political crisis. "It is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command - which includes army, navy, armed forces and police - to take control of governing the country," Chan-Ocha said. Inside Story: Can the army act as mediator to Thailand's polarised political rivals? Hundreds of troops surrounded the venue of the talks from where Suthep Thaugsuban, who led more than six months of anti-government protests, was taken away. Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler, reporting from Bangkok, said; "The army [now] controls everything in the government. We do not know what is going to happen to the leaders of the Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts." The Red Shirts, so-called because of the colour of their outfits, support the government that has been in power while the Yellow Shirts oppose what they call Thaksin Shinawatra's legacy and influence on Thai politics. Thaksin, who was removed from power in 2006 in a coup, is the brother of Yingluck, who became prime minister in July 2011 and was removed earlier this month, along with nine cabinet ministers, for violating the country's constitution. The dismissal was brought about by a lawsuit filed by anti-government senators who accused Yingluck of nepotism. The country's new rulers have ordered Yingluck and three of her relatives to report to the armed forces on Friday by 10am local time. A bulletin read out on national television gave no hint of what might happen after their appearances. Possible uprisings Independent analyst David Streckfuss, based in the Red Shirt heartland of Khon Kaen, told Al Jazeera that the military intervention was an effort to sideline the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), made up of Red Shirts and the politicians they have consistently voted in since 2000. He warned the move would likely lead to the Red Shirts rising up as they did in 2010 when they took over Bangkok's central business district for months before the protest was crushed by the military, killing about 90 people. "There is an effort to break the will of the UDD and government so that something more along with what [the anti-government] PDRC wants can be brought in," Streckfuss said. "If a PDRC-friendly government is installed ... then the Red Shirts will respond sharply." The leader of the Red Shirts said the political group would continue its rally on the outskirts of Bangkok despite the military seizing control of the government and telling all protest groups to disperse. "We will not go anywhere. Don't panic because we expected this," Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan told supporters.

For those wondering why up until the formal coup announcement from Thailand's military today , we saw the US saying there really wasn't a coup in Thailand , follow the money........

Here Come More US Sanctions: The Full Thai Turmoil Timeline

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/22/2014 09:17 -0400

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Thailand is a prosperous nation with strong banks, modern factories, flourishing tourism, a growing middle class and other typical markers of a successful democracy. Which, as Bloomberg explains, is exactly what it lacks. Thailand has had so many coups in its modern history that scholars sometimes refer to the last 82 years as its “coup season.” In between, violent political strife has been chronic. The latest round features deadly street clashes, politically tainted corruption trials and the army taking control after an election derailed by protests. In contrast to political activists almost everywhere, the ones in Thailand are demanding less democracy... and this is the timeline of events that led to the latest 'coup'. What is perhaps more troublesome for a nation desperately seeking allies, under US law, sanctions are triggered if a country receiving military aid suffers a coup.

The Arguments behind the unrest...(via Bloomberg)

Bangkok’s urban middle class and royalist elite have resisted ceding control after Thaksin drew rural voters to the polls, swelling turnout to more than 75 percent in the last two elections. The protesters reject the idea that they’re thwarting democracy, saying the damaged political system can only produce a credible government after it’s swept clean of Thaksin’s influence. His supporters, enraged by the way their repeated victories have been overturned, have joined the cycle of stalemates and sporadic violence. A gradual accommodation might involve more power-sharing with regional governments, though that could take a generation or more. 

The worst outcome could be a breakup of the country or even a civil war. While the 86-year-old king, whose portrait hangs in most homes and shops, has intervened in the past to calm his subjects, he’s seen as too ill to do so now.

The Timeline of events...

Thailand’s army chief declares military coup today, the 12th in the country since 1932.

  * May 22:
    * Army Chief Prayuth announces on national TV he is seizing control of country, detaining leaders of rival political groups at meeting mean to resolve crisis
    * 10pm-5am curfew imposed

  * May 20:
    * Martial law declared; army chief says move isn’t a coup

  * May 12:
    * Security officials tighten security, say they will arrest protest leaders seeking to install appointed PM

  * May 7:
    * Constitutional Court removes Prime Minister Yingluck from office, finding her guilty of abuse of power related to 2011 transfer of a top security official; ~10 cabinet members involved in 2011 transfer also step down
    * Pheu Thai Party selects Niwattumrong as acting premier until elections

  * May 1
    * Govt, Election Commission reach agreement to hold new general elections on July 20

  * April 2
    * Constitutional Court agrees to hear case against Yingluck

  * March 31
    * Yingluck appears before National Anti-Corruption Commission to defend against charges of dereliction of duty for role in rice subsidy program

  * March 29:
    * Senate vote held amid low turnout

  * March 27
    * NACC rejects Yingluck’s request for 45-day extension to March 31 deadline over hearing of rice program
    * NACC hit by blast; police found weapons in pro-govt protest camp nearby

  * March 22
    * Suthep plans nationwide rally to pressure on Yingluck to resign

  * March 21
    * Constitutional Court rules Feb. election invalid
    * New election may take at least 3 mos.

  * March 19
    * Thai Cabinet lifts emergency decree ahead of expiration on March 23

  * March 13
    * Yingluck gets additional 15 days to defend accusations over rice program

  * March 12
    * Constitutional Court rejects PM Yingluck’s 2t baht infrastructure bill

  * March 11
    * 34-year-old man was injured by explosion near Lumpini park

  * March 7
    * 31-year old woman was injured by gunshot near Lumpini park, where anti-govt demonstrators camp

  * March 3:
    * 2 grenades were thrown into Criminal Court in Bangkok, no injuries

  * March 2:
    * By-election held in 5 provinces without violence

  * Feb. 23:
    * Blast in Bangkok’s shopping district killed 3 people

  * Feb. 22:
    * Five-year-old girl was killed in protest site at Trat province

  * Feb. 19:
    * Thai court ordered govt not to use force to contain demonstrations

  * Feb. 18:
    * Clash between protesters and police killed 5 and injured at least 69

  * Feb. 2:
    * Thai voters cast ballots across almost 90% of the country

  * Jan. 26:
    * Thai protester shot and killed

  * Jan. 21:
    * Yingluck declared 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok

  * Jan. 19:
    * Two explosions occurred in central Bangkok, injuring at least 28

  * Jan. 18:
    * One person died after grenade attack on protest rally on Jan. 17

  * Jan. 13:
    * Protesters began blocking major intersections in Bangkok on 1st day of “Bangkok shutdown”

  * Dec. 28:
    * Army chief refused to rule out possibility of coup
    * One man shot dead, 3 people hurt during protest outside govt offices in Bangkok

  * Dec. 26:
    * One person killed and 96 injured as protesters tried to stop candidates registering for election

  * Dec. 9:
    * Yingluck dissolved house; and elections to be held on Feb. 2 according to royal decree

  * Dec. 5:
    * King Bhumibol Adulyadej, celebrating his 86th birthday, didn’t directly comment on unrest; protests suspended

  * Dec. 4:
    * Thai Navy Chief said military won’t stage coup

  * Dec. 1:
    * Protesters entered Yingluck’s office; four killed in clash
    * Govt declared curfew in Bangkok, last was imposed in 2010

  * Nov. 30:
    * Two students injured from gunshot after clash with govt. supporters

  * Nov. 26:
    * Protesters blocked access to Transport Ministry
    * Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Suthep

  * Nov. 25:
    * Protesters entered Finance Ministry compound

  * Nov. 11:
    * Senate voted 141-0 to reject amnesty bill

  * Nov. 1:
    * Lower house passed amnesty bill

  * Oct. 31:
    * Opposition said as many as 50,000 people joined  protests, police said number was 8,000

  * Oct. 28:
    * Parliamentary committee approved amnesty bill
    * Govt planned to pursue charges against former PM Abhisit and his former deputy Suthep

And here come US Sanctions...

Six months of never-ending political crisis, with street protests which left more than two dozen people dead including three in a gun and grenade attack, eventually led to the powerful generals' decision to seize the reins of power in a coup after imposing martial law and apparently contradicting early claims the move was just an apolitical measure "to keep peace and order".

The problem with 'admitting' it's a coup...

Thailand's longstanding ally the US, has already called for a return to civilian rule,  warning it expects the army to "honour its commitment to make this a temporary action to prevent violence and not undermine democratic institutions".

Under US laws, sanctions are triggered if a country receiving American military aid suffers a coup. In a previous Thai military coup (2006), US froze military assistance for a year-and-a-half.

The coup may also push the US to cut military assistance to Thailand. Human Rights Watch criticised the Obama administration for failing to call for the immediate reversal of martial law.

And while the general has already banned media from discussing the coup, he has now introduced another rule...

• THAI MILITARY BANS POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS NATIONWIDE.
• THAI CARETAKER PM HAS FLED TO U.S EMBASSY IN BANGKOK

This will not end well...

Scrape egg off face time for the US.....

ABC News....

US Says Military Takeovers in Libya, Thailand Are Not Coups

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By Ali Weinberg

May 20, 2014 4:16pm

A Thai soldier mans his machine gun atop a military vehicle outside the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order after soldiers were sent in to seize the center on May 20, 2014 in Bangkok, Thailand. Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo.

Military forces have taken control in Libya and Thailand, but the United States isn’t calling them coups — at least not yet, anyway.

In Libya, forces loyal to a retired general took over parliament over the weekend. In Thailand, the military declared martial law, giving itself substantial powers including the right to detain people and ban political TV programming.

State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said the U.S. wasn’t characterizing either situation as a coup, defined by national security expert Edward Luttwak in his book Coup d’Etat: A Practical Handbook as “the infiltration of a small but critical segment of the state apparatus, which is then used to displace the government from its control of the remainder.”

Of Libya, Psaki said today: “We do not condone or support the actions on the ground, and nor have we assisted with these actions.”

Regarding Thailand, she noted that martial law is allowed within the Thai constitution and that the U.S. has remained in communication with both the military and the government, which said this morning that it was still in control even though the military had not informed it of the martial law decree in advance.

Psaki added that the Thai military promised the U.S. that it would relinquish control back to the government.

“We expect them to abide by their commitment that this is a temporary action to prevent violence and to respect — and that they will respect democratic institutions,” she said.

U.S. law prohibits the funding of countries “whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup d’etat or decree.”

For that reason, the United States declined to characterize the Egyptian military’s July 2013 removal of elected Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi as a coup. The U.S. did suspend some aid to Egypt later that year but resumed part of the money flow in April 2014 to ensure it carried out its responsibilities under the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.

Similarly, the U.S. has strategic interests in maintaining funding for Libya and Thailand.

The U.S. provided almost $190 million to Libya after the revolution that ended the Ghaddafi regime, and in FY2014 requested $5.9 million to support goals that have clear implications for U.S. security, including “accounting for and securing conventional weapons; building niche military capacities to address specific threats to Libya’s sovereignty” and “strengthening counterterrorism cooperation.”

The U.S. funds programs in Thailand that target human trafficking, narcotics and antiterrorism and in FY2014 requested $10 million in assistance funding.