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Thailand's political deadlock
| Latest News |
Yingluck released from military custody amid renewed Thai protests Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been released from military custody as of Sunday, CNN quoted a highly placed source in the junta as saying. | |
| Thai military junta urges public against rallying, inciting unrest Thai coup leader dissolves Senate Thai military detains ousted leaders with Yingluck for 1 week Thai king informed of military coup Ex-Thai premier Yingluck detained, whereabouts unknown | |
| Thai Political Crisis |
| Reactions |
 | UN chief appeals for 'prompt return to civilian order' in Thailand UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on May 22 expressed his serious concern about the military takeover in Thailand and appealed for "a prompt return to civilian order" in the Asian country. |
 | China calls on all parties in Thailand to keep restraint China on May 23 called on all parties in Thailand to keep restraint and strengthen dialogue and consultations, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman in response to the military takeover in the Asian country. |
 | US curtails military ties with Thailand after coup The United States announced on May 24 it would curtail military ties with Thailand, including canceling ongoing military exercises, as part of its efforts to heighten pressure on the Thai military to restore the civilian rule immediately. |
 | France's Hollande condemns Thai army coup French President Francois Hollande on May 22 condemned that Thai army coup, his office reported in a statement. |
 | Australia 'gravely concerned' with coup in Thailand The Australian government is " gravely concerned" with the coup d'etat in Thailand on May 22 and warned all Australians in Thailand to be cautious, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said in a press release on May 23. |
 | New Zealand govt expresses concern over Thai military coup The New Zealand government on May 23 expressed "deep concern" at the news of a military takeover in and the suspension of the country's constitution. |
 | Indonesia calls for reconciliation in Thailand The Indonesian government on May 23 called Thai army and civil elements in Thailand to bring the political condition back to normal following the taking over by the military. |
 | Philippines bans deployment of newly-hired Filipino workers to Thailand The Philippine government announced on May 23 a suspension on the processing and deployment of newly- hired overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for Thailand, a day after Thai army declared coup d'tat. |
 | Cambodia tells troops, governors along border to continue good ties with Thailand Cambodia has advised its armed forces and officials along the border to continue maintaining good relations and cooperation with Thailand after Thailand's army seized control of the government in a coup on May 22. |
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Global Times
Thai coup shows weaknesses of Western democracy
As Western democracy requires a high standard of industrialization, many underdeveloped countries have fallen into political tragedies. It is hard to perceive how long they will take to walk out of the crisis.
CCTV commentator Hong Lin said during an interview on May 24 that over the past 20 years the military has stepped in to break the political deadlock and then handed over power, and this time is no exception. In order to create a leadership vacuum, the army took control of high-level officials over a short period, sending the message that both sides need to compromise and reach a political reconciliation.
In a Global Times (Chinese edition) interview May 24, Xu Liping, a research fellow of the National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, compared Thailand to a “volcanic country hidden behind smiles.” Xu claimed that beneath their friendly exterior, Thailand is rife with internal issues such as an oligarchy, the urban-rural gap and regional tensions.
The Xinhua News Agency opined on May 25 that the situation spun out of control as tensions between the caretaker government and opposition forces intensified. Key players on both sides have been kept silent under military control, and the Pheu Thai Party and its Red Shirt supporters have not resisted massively under military pressure. Analysts maintain that military interference only offers a temporary solution, and political turbulence will not disappear until the tensions between social classes are addressed.
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Web editor: gelili@globaltimes.com.cn