Coup Needed to Prevent Civil War, Thai Military Says

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http://online.wsj.com/articles/coup-needed-to-prevent-civil-war-thai-military-says-1401352437



Army Says It Found Caches of Military Grade Weapons

Coup Needed to Prevent Civil War, Thai Military Says
By Jake Maxwell Watts
May 29, 2014 4:36 a.m. ET

BANGKOK—Thailand's military complained that entrenched beliefs and a refusal to compromise among political leaders had forced it to declare a coup d'état last week to protect the country from the specter of civil war.

"Had Thailand continued on the path we were headed it would have led to more instability, protracted conflicts and divisiveness," foreign ministry spokesperson Sek Wannamethee said at the military's first briefing aimed at foreign media since it took power a week ago.

He said the military felt it had no choice but to intervene to prevent further erosion of the country's economic and social well-being after nearly seven months of street protests and a sharp slowdown in economic growth.

Mr. Sek was adamant that the military doesn't intend to hold on to power indefinitely, but didn't specify a time frame for handing power back to civilian leadership. Nor did he say when the constitution may be reinstated or elections held.