Thailand's army declares martial law

Thailand's army declared martial law on Tuesday to restore order after six months of anti-government protests which have left the country without a functioning government.
The declaration did not constitute a coup and was made in response to deteriorating security, an army general said.
"We declared a state of emergency, it's not a coup. Because of the situation, it's not stable, they kill each other every day," a general, who declined to be identified, told Reuters.

Troops were patrolling in Bangkok and had secured television stations, he said.
"We need cooperation from them to announce to the people 'do not panic, this is not a coup," the general said.

• Thailand has been stuck in political limbo since Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and nine of her ministers were dismissed on May 7 after a court found them guilty of abuse of power.

The crisis, the latest installment of a near-decade-long power struggle between ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother, and the royalist establishment, has brought the country to the brink of recession.

•  Soldiers were seen in the heart of the city's retail and hotel district and also positioned at television stations. 

The dismissal of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra earlier this month in a controversial court ruling has raised tensions in the country, which has endured years of political turmoil. 

Civil war warning
Yingluck's "Red Shirt" supporters have warned of the threat of civil war if power is handed to an unelected leader, as demanded by the opposition.
Meanwhile, anti-government protesters refuse to participate in elections and say Yingluck's Puea Thai party administration lacks the legitimacy to govern.
They are calling on the upper house of parliament, the Senate, to invoke a vaguely worded clause in the constitution to remove caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan - an ally of Yingluck - and appoint a new leader.
Anti-government demonstrators, who had vowed a "final battle" in coming days to topple the prime minister said they had called off a march that had been planned for Tuesday.
"We're convinced that invoking martial law will benefit our movement and support our goal," senior protest leader Sathit Wongnongtoey said.
The country's embattled government was not consulted in advance about the imposition of martial law, said Paradorn Pattanatabut, chief security adviser Niwattumrong.
"The caretaker government still exists with Niwattumrong as caretaker prime minister. Everything is normal except the military is responsible for all national security issues," he said.
Thailand's army chief also ordered the censorship of the media in the interests of "national security" in a signed statement delivered on every television station.
The army "prohibits all media outlets from reporting or distribution of any news or still photographs detrimental to national security," said the statement by General Prayut Chan-O-Cha.
 Source: Al Jazeera and agencies  
20/5/14