BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s ruling military has summoned members of the politically influential Shinawatra (SHIN’-uh-wah) family to a meeting Friday morning.
A day after the military seized control in a bloodless coup, there was hardly any visible military presence on Bangkok’s emptier-than-usual streets.
For seven months, anti-government protesters have been calling for the removal of the Shinawatra family and its alleged corrupting influence from Thai politics. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was sacked by the Constitutional Court earlier this month for nepotism. She has not been seen in public for several days.
The country’s junta leader announced he was taking power to restore stability and normalcy and stop sporadic outbursts of violence that have left 28 people dead and hundreds injured since the latest turmoil began in November.
It was Thailand’s second coup in eight years.
The last one was what launched Thailand’s turmoil. It ousted Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra.
%@AP Links
APPHOTO SL116: An anti-government protester prepares to leave their demonstration site near Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 23, 2014, a day after Thai soldiers staged a coup. Thailand’s ruling military made its first order of the day summoning members of the politically influential family to a meeting Friday morning, a day after it seized control of this volatile Southeast Asian nation in a bloodless coup. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (23 May 2014)
<
APPHOTO SL117: A Thai soldier drives a power shovel to remove sand bags set up by anti-government protesters near Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 23, 2014, a day after their coup. Thailand’s ruling military made its first order of the day summoning members of the politically influential family to a meeting Friday morning, a day after it seized control of this volatile Southeast Asian nation in a bloodless coup. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (23 May 2014)
<
APPHOTO SL106: Anti-government demonstrators carry their belongings as they leave a demonstration site past Buddhist monks in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 23, 2014, a day after soldiers staged a coup. Thailand’s ruling military made its first order of the day summoning members of the politically influential family to a meeting Friday morning, a day after it seized control of this volatile Southeast Asian nation in a bloodless coup. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (23 May 2014)
<
APPHOTO SL110: Thai soldiers stand guard near Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 23, 2014, a day after their coup. Thailand’s ruling military made its first order of the day summoning members of the politically influential family to a meeting Friday morning, a day after it seized control of this volatile Southeast Asian nation in a bloodless coup. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (23 May 2014)
< Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
