The dissolution of the Senate means that all parliamentary authority now rests with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) headed by the army chief.
Gen Prayuth announced that he had taken over the authority of the House and the Senate for the time being in case any actions required parliamentary approval.
The NCPO also announced on Saturday evening that Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew had been moved to an inactive post in the Prime Minister's Office.
Also moved to inactive posts were Tarit Pengdith, the head of the Department of Special Investigation, and Nipat Thonglek, the permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry. Both men had been seen as loyalists to the ousted government and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, the deputy national police chief, has been named the acting police chief. Pol Gen Chatchawal Suksomjit, another deputy national police chief, has been put in charge of the DSI, and Gen Surasak Kanjanarat, deputy permanent secretary for defence, has been named the defence permanent secretary.
The dramatic developments came on a day in which the military widened its net to include academics and commentators among those it was summoning for talks.
A protester holds an anti-coup placard at Victory Monument on Saturday. (Photo by Phrakrit Juntawong)
Those who refused to attend were threatened with jail and/or fines, but some were refusing to comply. Among them was Pheu Thai Party leader Charupong Ruangsuwan, who was believed to be hiding somewhere in the Northeast, and prominent Japan-based Thai academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun.
The military is currently detaining more than 100 of the 155 people it summoned earlier, mainly politicians. It says they are being treated well and will be released in a few days when the situation calms down. The detentions have drawn condemnation from international human rights groups as well as the UN.
Soldiers also found themselves confronting crowds of anti-coup protesters in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. There was pushing and shoving and a handful of arrests but minimal violence. With hundreds of smartphones sending pictures online instantly of their every move, soldiers have appeared wary of provoking confrontations that could turn ugly.
Meanwhile, curbs on the media appear to be tightening, with senior editors of 18 Thailand-based newspapers summoned to a meeting with NCPO authorities on Sunday afternoon.
The coup makers on Saturday allowed all 24 digital-TV operators to continue broadcasting but international news channels remained off the air.
The six analogue free-to-air channels were also broadcasting normally but the ban on 14 other channels and community radio stations remains in place.
International news channels including CNN, BBC, CNBC and Bloomberg remain blocked.
The CNN and BBC websites remain accessible with complete and updated reports from Thailand, including video, with no attempt to censor them apparent.
An army spokesman said the unavailability of CNN and BBC on pay-TV was due to "technical problems" and attempts were being made to solve them.
However, TrueVisions said the channels remained off the air because "there may be materials that do not comply with NCPO announcements".
In another development, the coup makers said His Majesty the King had acknowledged their reports about the declaration of martial law and the seizure of ruling power to maintain order and solve conflicts in the country.
In its announcement No. 25 on Saturday evening, the NCPO said it had submitted the letters to the King through the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary twice, on May 20 and 22.
The office has replied that the King had acknowledged the reports, it said.
The dissolution of the Senate means that all parliamentary authority now rests with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) headed by the army chief.
Gen Prayuth announced that he had taken over the authority of the House and the Senate for the time being in case any actions required parliamentary approval.
The NCPO also announced on Saturday evening that Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew had been moved to an inactive post in the Prime Minister's Office.
Also moved to inactive posts were Tarit Pengdith, the head of the Department of Special Investigation, and Nipat Thonglek, the permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry. Both men had been seen as loyalists to the ousted government and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, the deputy national police chief, has been named the acting police chief. Pol Gen Chatchawal Suksomjit, another deputy national police chief, has been put in charge of the DSI, and Gen Surasak Kanjanarat, deputy permanent secretary for defence, has been named the defence permanent secretary.
The dramatic developments came on a day in which the military widened its net to include academics and commentators among those it was summoning for talks.
A protester holds an anti-coup placard at Victory Monument on Saturday. (Photo by Phrakrit Juntawong)
Those who refused to attend were threatened with jail and/or fines, but some were refusing to comply. Among them was Pheu Thai Party leader Charupong Ruangsuwan, who was believed to be hiding somewhere in the Northeast, and prominent Japan-based Thai academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun.
The military is currently detaining more than 100 of the 155 people it summoned earlier, mainly politicians. It says they are being treated well and will be released in a few days when the situation calms down. The detentions have drawn condemnation from international human rights groups as well as the UN.
Soldiers also found themselves confronting crowds of anti-coup protesters in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. There was pushing and shoving and a handful of arrests but minimal violence. With hundreds of smartphones sending pictures online instantly of their every move, soldiers have appeared wary of provoking confrontations that could turn ugly.
Meanwhile, curbs on the media appear to be tightening, with senior editors of 18 Thailand-based newspapers summoned to a meeting with NCPO authorities on Sunday afternoon.
The coup makers on Saturday allowed all 24 digital-TV operators to continue broadcasting but international news channels remained off the air.
The six analogue free-to-air channels were also broadcasting normally but the ban on 14 other channels and community radio stations remains in place.
International news channels including CNN, BBC, CNBC and Bloomberg remain blocked.
The CNN and BBC websites remain accessible with complete and updated reports from Thailand, including video, with no attempt to censor them apparent.
An army spokesman said the unavailability of CNN and BBC on pay-TV was due to "technical problems" and attempts were being made to solve them.
However, TrueVisions said the channels remained off the air because "there may be materials that do not comply with NCPO announcements".
In another development, the coup makers said His Majesty the King had acknowledged their reports about the declaration of martial law and the seizure of ruling power to maintain order and solve conflicts in the country.
In its announcement No. 25 on Saturday evening, the NCPO said it had submitted the letters to the King through the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary twice, on May 20 and 22.
The office has replied that the King had acknowledged the reports, it said.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
