Thai military tells radio, TV to suspend normal programs
22 May 2014, 15:52 -- Thailand's army told all television and radio stations in the country to halt normal programs on Thursday and only broadcast army material.
'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.
In another development, Thailand's military has announced a nationwide curfew from 10 pm (15:00 GMT) to 5 am (22:00 GMT) on Thursday after overthrowing a caretaker government in a coup to restore order in the country, an army spokesman said.
Deputy army spokesman Winthai Suvaree announced the curfew in a televised statement.
About an hour earlier, army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said a joint commission of all military branches plus police would govern the country to restore stability after a nearly seven-month period of political turmoil.
Thai army seizes power in a coup amid deadly political turmoil
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. 'In order for the country to return to normal quickly the National Peace Keeping Committee comprised of the army, the Thai armed forces, the Royal Air Force and the police need to seize power as of May 22 at 4:30 pm,' army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha said.
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.
Thailand's army is also planning to send troops and vehicles to escort protesters away from rally sites, a senior army official told Reuters shortly after the coup announcement.
'We will send troops and vehicles to help protesters leave all rally sites,' General Teerachai Nakwanit, First Regional Army Commander, told Reuters.
Protesters from pro and anti-government groups have been rallying at sites in and around Bangkok as part a protracted political crisis.
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