Thai army seizes power, curfew imposed

Thailand's army chief announced in a televised address to the nation on Thursday that the armed forces were seizing power after months of deadly political turmoil.
"In order for the country to return to normal quickly, the National Peace Keeping Committee comprised of the army, the Thai armed forces, the Royal Air Force and the police need to seize power as of May 22 at 4.30 pm," army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha said.
The commander-in-chief, who invoked martial law on Tuesday, said the coup was needed to prevent the conflict escalating.
"All Thais must remain calm and government officials must work as normal," he added.
Meanwhile, a night-time curfew has been imposed across the country. "Under martial law, the National Peace Keeping Committee prohibits anyone across the kingdom from leaving their home from 10 pm to 5 am," an army spokesman said in a televised announcement.
The move came after military-hosted talks between the kingdom's political rivals apparently failed to reach a compromise on ending nearly seven months of mass protests on the streets of Bangkok, according to AFP.