Army warns defiant Thai anti-coup demonstrators
Iran Press TV
Sun May 25, 2014 3:25PM GMT
Thai military junta has warned demonstrators that it will not bear any further rallies against its coup amid protests in the capital Bangkok.
The warning came on Sunday after dozens of demonstrators faced off against lines of armed soldiers before and after over one thousand protesters marched through the city.
The military, which seized power on Thursday following months of turmoil in the country, noted that demonstrators would be held for one or two days.
"We will give them a last chance today, but if they continue to rally we will use measures to deal with them," Lieutenant General Apirat Kongsompong said.
Protests started in front of a shopping mall in Bangkok's Chidlom area. Reports said minor clashes erupted.
The protesters then headed to the Victory Monument, despite a call by coup leaders to avoid protests.
Earlier on Sunday, the junta also ordered dozens of activists, academics, and journalists to surrender themselves to military authorities, in an effort to squash potential opposition and muffle the country's critics.
"I am not afraid of them because the more we are afraid of them, the more they will stamp on us," one protester said, adding, "We want an election -- to choose our own boss."
The Thai military has already taken into custody most of the officials of the previous government, dissolved the Senate and assumed its legislative powers.
The military intervention is the 19th actual or attempted coup in the Asian country since 1932.
Human Rights Watch says the Thai military has thrown the country's rights situation into a free fall.
MR/AB
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