A military commission in Thailand seized power in a coup, two days after the army declared martial law in the country, according to The Associated Press.
Thai Army Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said the move was necessary to maintain peace and order after months of protests in the country calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
{mosads}The day before, the State Department said it was watching the situation closely and was in contact with both military and civilian leaders.
The army had indicated earlier in the week martial law had been initiated only temporarily and it did not look to run the government, which would be permitted under its constitution.
“But our goal here is to see restitution of full — a return to, I should say, full democracy in Thailand with respect for Thailand’s democratic institutions, and that’s what we’re continuing to encourage on the ground,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Wednesday before the reported coup.
The State Department had said it was troubled by restrictions on the media there. On Thursday, broadcasting in the country was suspended except for the military’s announcement and patriotic music, according to The Associated Press.
“We continue to be troubled by restrictions on the media and our communications with the Royal Thai Army,” Psaki said on Wednesday. “We’re encouraging them to respect democratic principles, including freedom of speech and the press, so those concerns are ongoing.”
According to The Associated Press, this is the 12th military takeover in the country in the last 80 years, with the last coming in 2006.