Panglima Militer Thailand Lakukan Kudeta
Kamis, 22 Mei 2014, 19:44 WIB

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,JAKARTA--Panglima militer Thailand merebut kekuasaan lewat kudeta Kamis, menggulingkan pemerintahan terpilih dan menjerumuskan negara itu pada ketidakpastian setelah berbulan-bulan menghadapi pertikaian politik yang mematikan.

Jenderal Prayut Chan-O-Cha membuat pengumuman dalam pidato televisi kepada bangsanya, mengatakan bahwa angkatan bersenjata yang kuat harus bertindak memulihkan stabilitas di negara Asia Tenggara yang terpecah itu. "Agar negara kembali normal dengan cepat, Komite Penjaga Perdamaian Nasional terdiri atas angkatan darat, angkatan bersenjata Thailand, Angkatan Udara Kerajaan dan polisi perlu merebut kekuasaan pada 22 Mei pukul 16.30 waktu setempat," kata Prayut.
Dia mengatakan kekuasaan akan diselenggarakan oleh komite yang dia pimpin.

Beberapa saat sebelum pengumuman yang mengagetkan itu, para saksi mata mengatakan mereka melihat pemimpin dua partai politik utama serta gerakan protes saingannya yang dilakukan oleh militer dari tempat di mana Prayut mengadakan pembicaraan yang bertujuan untuk menyelesaikan perbedaan di antara mereka.

Prayut (60) mengatakan ia merebut kekuasaan akibat kekerasan di Bangkok dan banyak wilayah di negara tersebut yang menyebabkan hilangnya nyawa tak berdosa dan harta benda dan mungkin akan terus meningkat. "Semua warga Thailand harus tetap tenang dan pejabat pemerintah harus bekerja seperti biasa," katanya dalam pengumuman singkat sekitar pukul 17.00 waktu setempat.

Kabar kudeta dalam waktu dekat sudah terdengar di Thailand sejak Selasa (20/5), saat Prayut mendeklarasikan darurat militer, mengatakan bahwa ia bertindak untuk mencegah ketegangan politik mematikan yang bergerak di luar kendali.

Pengumuman tersebut muncul segera setelah kubu berlawanan dan pemain politik atas lain berkumpul di hari kedua pembicaraan di fasilitas militer yang dijaga ketat di Bangkok.

Prayut meminta peserta untuk menjembatani perbedaan di antara mereka demi kebaikan negara. Ia juga mengatakan tidak akan membiarkan Thailand menjadi seperti "Ukraina atau Mesir". "Saya peduli dengan situasi ini dan tidak akan membiarkannya tanpa sebuah solusi," kata Prayut sebelumnya dalam sambutan pembicaraan politik, Kamis. "Apa yang saya lakukan ada dalam kapasitas keamanan--jika saya mengecewakan seseorang, saya minta maaf, tapi itu perlu," tegasnya.
http://www.republika.co.id/berita/in...lakukan-kudeta

Martial Law Declared In Thailand
By Eric Linton
on May 19 2014 6:51 PM


Thai soldiers use sandbags to fortify their positions in the middle of a main intersection in central Bangkok Tuesday, May 20, 2014. Thailand's army declared martial law on Tuesday to restore order, but the move did not constitute a coup, military officials said. Reuters/Damir Sagolj

Update 11:30 p.m. EDT: The Thai army says 10 satellite TV channels must stop broadcasting, including stations run by pro- and anti-government groups, Reuters reports.
"The army asks that satellite television channels stop broadcasting in order to prevent the distortion of news, which creates misunderstanding," the army said in a televised statement.
Also, Japan's government expressed "grave concern" following the imposition of martial law.

Update 9:43 p.m. EDT:The justice minister said the government is still in place and praised the military for protecting security, Reuters reported.

Update 9 p.m. EDT: Troops were patrolling in Bangkok and had secured television stations, one Thai army general said.

"We declared a state of emergency, it's not a coup. Because of the situation, it's not stable, they kill each other every day," the general, who declined to be identified, told Reuters. "We need cooperation from them to announce to the people 'do not panic, this is not a coup.'"

He said soldiers were patrolling in Bangkok and had secured television stations.

The Australian government has issued a travel warning for its citizens traveling to Thailand following the declaration of martial law.

"We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Thailand due to the possibility of civil unrest and the threat of terrorist attack. You should pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks," the advisory read.

Update 8:05 p.m. EDT: Despite the Thai army's declaration of martial law, the caretaker government is still in office, an army spokesman told Reuters.

"This martial law is just to restore peace and stability. It has nothing to do with the government, the government is still functioning as normal," said Col. Winthai Suvari. An aide to the acting premier told Channel News Asia the government was not consulted about the martial law decree, but remains in office.

Update 7:16 p.m. EDT:
An announcement on Thailand's military-run TV said martial law had been invoked "to restore peace and order for people from all sides," asserting that the move "is not a coup," Agence France-Presse reported.

The army has also granted itself wide-ranging powers to enforce its decision, the BBC reported.

Original story:

Thailand's army declares martial law in surprise move as country's political crisis intensifies, the Associated Press reports.

Earlier Monday, the acting prime minister was meeting with senators to search for a way out of the protracted political crisis, as anti-government protesters step up pressure to remove him and install a new administration, NDTV reported.

Thailand is stuck in political limbo following the dismissal of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and nine of her ministers on May 7 after a court found them guilty of abuse of power.

Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan replaced her, but the anti-government protesters say he has no legal standing and want all remaining ministers of Yingluck's Cabinet to step down.
http://www.ibtimes.com/martial-law-d...ailand-1586746

Thailand coup leads Israel to issue travel warning
Posted on May 22, 2014 by JNS.org.


The Thailand coup forced Israel to issue a warning to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis visiting Thailand every year. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

(JNS.org) Israel’s Foreign Ministry has issued a travel warning for Israeli tourists visiting Thailand in the wake of an announcement that the country’s military has declared martial law.

The Thai military, led by army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, announced that it is taking over the government and suspending the country’s constitution. It then ordered acting Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan and his ministers to report to the military Thursday "in order to keep peace and order," and banned "political gatherings" of more than five people.

"Anyone who violates the ban will be subject to a one-year jail term, 10,000 baht ($307) fine, or both,” the Thai military stated, reported the BBC.

Thailand is a popular destination for Israeli tourists, especially young people recently released from service in the Israel Defense Forces. In 2013, 135,000 Israelis visited the tropical country, reported Yedioth Ahronoth. In the wake of the coup, the Israeli Foreign Ministry called the the situation in Thailand "sensitive and unpredictable."

"Be alert and extra cautious, act in accordance with instructions from local authorities and stay tuned to media reports," the Foreign Ministry advised, reported the Jerusalem Post.
http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2014/...g#.U35zS0BklpM

The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia:
Thailand martial law: tips for Australian tourists
May 20, 2014


Anthony Dennis, National Travel Editor


Thai soldiers take up a position on a main road in Bangkok after the army declared martial law on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

The father of an Australian traveller in Thailand once reported receiving a photo of his son proudly leaning on a tank attached to an email remarking on the impressive nature of Thailand's military parades.

However, the tank was not involved in any pomp and ceremony; it was a participant in a fully-fledged coup. There are bound to be many Australians today similarly ignorant of the events unfolding in Thailand.

And this genuine anecdote illustrates how blissfully – and perhaps dangerously – unaware we can be while on holidays, especially in a destination so beloved by Australians as Thailand.
Residents stop to take a photograph of themselves at a military checkpoint in central Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, May 20, 2014. Thailand's army declared martial law in a surprise announcement before dawn Tuesday that it said was aimed at keeping the country stable after six months of sometimes violent political unrest. The military, however, denied a coup d'etat was underway.


A selfie is taken at a military checkpoint in central Bangkok. Photo: AP

But coups – or as it's more politely referred to as martial law – by its sudden and draconian nature, are not meant to be fun. True, Thailand has had more declarations of martial law than the average troupe of go-go dancers at a Patpong bar.
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And, also true, the coups have tended to be bloodless. But Thailand’s recent political history has been a more violent one. In 2010, tourists were trapped in hotels during fully-fledged street fire-fights, in which dozens of people were killed.

So if you’re travelling in unstable countries, such as Thailand which has undoubtedly been for some time, it always pays to not completely switch off from the news and to have a loose plan of action in the back of your mind should events unravel.

Although the Federal Government’s official travel advisory site, Smart

Traveller, has been disparaged at times for its alarmist travel warnings, it can be your best friend in uncertain security situations, such as today’s declaration of military law in Thailand.

It currently advises Australians to “exercise a high degree of caution”. This means: monitor Smart Traveller closely; keep a close eye on the media, such as the leading 24/7 news channels and news websites for regular updates; be aware of the possible imposition of censorship in local media; and keep your electronic devices fully-charged at all times.

Although it can appear "business as usual" on the streets, it's wise to keep a low profile and be aware of potential hot-spots, which Smart Traveller has identified.

It can be a natural instinct to head straight to the nearest international airport. But, in doing so, you may find access to roads blocked by the military and/or protesters and terminals packed with tourists, like you, all wanting to urgently leave. Should events escalate or the airport is blockaded, flights may be cancelled by airlines that don't want to risk being unable to get their precious aircraft out.

I was in Bangkok some years ago and bombs were exploding around the city; I found it reassuring to be able to monitor BBC World in order to plan a course of action. Fortunately, my partner and I were heading up-river on a cruise the next day which provided us with the perfect escape from Bangkok.

However, it may prove that there are fewer Australians in Bangkok today as the hotels there have reported a sharp decline in visitor numbers due the nation’s ongoing political instability. But the declaration of martial law is nation-wide and needs to be taken seriously by any Australian holidaying in any part of the country.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-...520-38lpl.html

Foto-foto Aktivitas Militer di Sekitar BANGKOK Pasca Kudeta Militer Kemarin


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Gua sendiri kayaknya terpaksa harus membatalkan untuk datang ke sebuah acara seminar internasional di Bangkok awal Juni nanti. Meski Thailand sudah biasa dengan krisis politik dan kudeta militer, tapi melihat foto-foto diatas, ngeri juga nyali diri dibuatnya. Kalau penduduk Bangkok saja pada mengungsi ke keluar kota Bangkok atau ke pedesaan, dan semaksimal mungkin menghindari Bangkok, maka aneh juga kalau ada turis asing yang malahan berani nekad datang kesana dalam kondisi darurat militer seperti itu