On May 22, 2014, the Thai army proclaimed itself the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and overthrew the increasingly unpopular Yingluck Shinawatra government in a bloodless coup.
Thailand calmly descended from democracy to military rule after more than a year’s administrative paralysis, averting a purported civil conflict between the red shirts (ruling Pheu Thai party) and yellow shirts (opposition Democrat Party). It was the 19th coup since Thailand abolished absolute monarchy in 1932. General Prayuth Chan-ocha announced that the army aims to “reform political structure, economy and society”.
An interim constitution was enacted by the junta on July 22, which effectively consolidated the supreme authority into the hands of military head General