Thailand’s military has launched its 12th coup of the modern era, plunging southeast Asia’s second-largest economy into a fresh phase of its crisis and raising the prospect of international sanctions.
In a televised address, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army’s chief, urged people not to panic and said the military was taking over “to restore peace back to the country”.
Minutes earlier in co-ordinated events, troops had moved to detain political leaders summoned by the military to discuss Thailand’s future under martial law. A curfew was declared from 10pm until 5am the next morning. CNN, BBC and other cable news channels were taken off the air.