Thai military continues crackdown following coup

2014-05-24 2,623

The Thai military continued its crackdown on dissidents on Saturday following Thursday’s coup.

The army issued a list of 35 people including leading academics who must report to them.

On Friday it ordered more than 100 politicians, including ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, to go to the military council. They are currently being held in detention in an undisclosed location.

Army spokesperson Werachon Sukhonpatipak said they wanted “to change the detainees perception.”

“If we find that there’s no significant link and no link at all to the conflict and we are able to find common ground and seek a common understanding among those (detained) persons regarding solving the situation in the country, we would release them for sure,” he said.

Officials said the detention of Yingluck was necessary while matters in the country were organised.

On Thursday the military announced it was taking control of the government and suspended the constitution. Six of Thailand’s most senior military officers are now running the country,

TV broadcasting is suspended as are gatherings of more than five people.

However hundreds of people defied the ban to protest on the streets of Bangkok against the military coup. Protesters say they will gather every day while the military is still in power.

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