DHAKA: Thailand's former authority figures have reported to the new military junta after it summoned the entire deposed government and members of the politically influential Shinawatra family, following a coup.
Yingluck Shinawatra, the former prime minister, and Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, her temporary replacement, were among the 39 prominent figures who reported to the designated military compound in Bangkok on Friday by the 0300 GMT deadline.
The army's intentions for summoning the people were not clear.
THAI CRISIS
A proposed political amnesty bill sparked mass protests late 2013. Critics feared it would allow ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra, convicted of corruption, to return.
His sister Yingluck, then PM, called early elections. The Constitutional Court declared results invalid due to opposition disruption.
On May 7, the Constitutional Court ruled that Yingluck had to step down for abuse of power. Parts of her government stayed on in a caretaker capacity.
Thailand's army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, seized control of the government on Thursday, two days after he declared martial law, saying the military had to restore order and push through reforms after six months of turmoil.
The military declared a curfew from 10pm until 5am, suspended the constitution and detained some politicians. Rival protest camps were ordered to disperse.
The capital, Bangkok, was calm and activity appeared to be relatively normal early on Friday, although the military has ordered all schools and universities to stay closed.
"There's a little bit more military presence but we're not looking at a situation with tanks rolling onto the streets," Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler, reporting from Bangkok, said.
Regular television schedules were suspended with all stations running the same news programme, featuring content from Channel 5, the army's own channel.
It showed pictures of the areas, now cleared, that had been taken over in and around Bangkok by various political groups since anti-government protests flared up last November.
"There is no justification for this military coup," John Kerry, US secretary of state, said in a statement on Thursday.
"This act will have negative implications for the US-Thai relationship, especially for our relationship with the Thai military. We are reviewing our military and other assistance and engagements, consistent with US law."
Source: Al-Jazeera
BDST: 1450 HRS, MAY 23, 2014
