Thai army seizes control of the government

The military is imposing a nightly curfew and only allowing army content on radio and television.

Thai soldiers prepare to deploy around the Army Club in Bangkok May 20, 2014 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Thai soldiers prepare to deploy around the Army Club in Bangkok May 20, 2014
(photo credit: REUTERS)
BANGKOK - Thailand's army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized control of the government on Thursday, saying the army had to restore order and push through reforms, two days after he declared martial law.
Prayuth made the announcement in a television broadcast after he held a meeting with all rival factions aimed at finding a solution to six months of anti-government protests.
He said the takeover would not affect international relations.
 
The army later told all television and radio stations in the country on to halt normal programs and only broadcast army material, shortly after it staged a coup to take over the government after months of political turmoil.
"All radio and television stations, satellite and cable, must stop normal programming and broadcast army content until told otherwise," Winthai Suvaree, a deputy army spokesman, said in a televised statement.
Furthermore, Thailand's military imposed a nationwide curfew from 10 p.m.  to 5 a.m. on Thursday after overthrowing a caretaker government in a coup, an army spokesman said.