Thailand's army chief announces military coup

Thailand’s army chief announces military coup

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A protester points at a soldier during a cleanup of a pro-government demonstration site on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, on May 23. (Wason Wanichakorn / Associated Press)

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A demonstrator embraces a Thai soldier during a cleanup operation at a pro-government demonstration site on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand. (Wason Wanichakorn / Associated Press)

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Buddhist monks help clean up a protest camp occupied for months by anti-government protesters a day after the army seized power in Thailand. (Nicolas Asfouri / AFP/ Getty Images)

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A Thai anti-goverment protester who supports the coup poses for a photograph with soldiers in Bangkok. Thailand’s army chief announced in a nationally televised address that the armed forces were seizing power after months of deadly political turmoil. (Manan Vatsyayana / AFP/Getty Images)

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Thai army soldiers stand guard at the main entrance of a pro-government rally site after they shut it down and cleared protesters from the site on the outskirts of Bangkok. (Nicolas Asfouri / AFP/Getty Images)

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Thai anti-government protesters celebrate at their camp outside Government House in Bangkok after Thailand’s army chief announced that the armed forces were seizing power. (Christophe Archambault / AFP/Getty Images)

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Reporters watch as army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, in a nationally televised address accompanied by other top-ranking military and police officials, declares a military coup in Thailand. (Narong Sangnak / EPA)

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Anti-government protesters sing the national anthem in Bangkok. (Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press)

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A soldier rides a motorcycle outside an area occupied by anti-government protesters in Bangkok. (Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press)

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Thailand’s army chief, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, announces to the nation that the armed forces are seizing power. (AFP/ Getty Images)

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Thai soldiers block the entrance to the Army Club in Bangkok, where rival political leaders failed to reach agreement. (Apichart Weerawong / Associated Press)

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Soldiers stand guard at a roadblock outside the Defense Ministry after Thailand’s army chief announced the coup. (Christophe Archambault / AFP/ Getty Images)

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Thai soldiers stand guard after army Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha met with rival political leaders at the Army Club in Bangkok. (Pornchai Kittiwongsakul, AFP/ Getty Images)

By Associated Press

May 22, 2014 3:41 AM PT

BANGKOK — Thailand’s army chief announced a military takeover of the government Thursday, saying the coup was necessary to restore stability and order after six months of political deadlock and turmoil.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced in a statement broadcast on national television that the commission that imposed martial law Tuesday would now take control of the country’s administration.

“It is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command — which includes army, navy, armed forces and police — to take control of governing the country,” Prayuth said.

The development followed two days of army-mediated meetings between the country’s rival political leaders that failed to break the impasse. The meetings were held at an army facility in Bangkok.

Shortly before the announcement was made, armed soldiers in military vehicles surrounded the building, apparently to block those inside from leaving.

Thailand has been gripped by bouts of political instability for more than seven years.

The latest round of unrest started in November, when demonstrators took to the streets to try to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down. They accused her of being a proxy for her popular billionaire brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence on a corruption conviction.

The coup announced Thursday was the 12th since the country’s absolute monarchy ended in 1932.