BANGKOK, 20 May 2014, – The Royal Thai Army has imposed martial law and terminated the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), pulling all the center’s forces to the newly established Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES).
The Army early this morning declared martial law throughout the nation, shortly before it released its second announcement establishing the CRES in place of the CAPO.
Both announcements, signed by Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, have invoked Sections 2 and 6 of the Martial Law, B.E. 2457, with the following effects: First, the Center for Resolution of Emergency Situation or CRES shall be established, with the army chief acting as its director.
Second, the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order, earlier established under the declaration of the Emergency Decree on April 28th, 2014, shall be terminated. The center is to cease all operations as of May 20th, 2014 at 3 AM. All of the police and military forces appointed to the center are to return to their respective units. In addition, the CRES is now in command of the the Royal Thai Police, all of the 3 armed forces and the Interior Ministry as well as all other related government units.
The Army has, however, insisted that its declaration of martial law is not a Coup d’etat, urging the public to go on with their lives.
