BANGKOK: Former premier Yingluck Shinawatra has been detained by leaders of Thailand´s military junta, a source in her party said Saturday as the army prepared to brief the media for the first time on a coup criticised worldwide.
The fate of Yingluck and scores of other figures in the now-deposed government and her Puea Thai party has been a mystery since they were summoned by the army early Friday as it tightened its grip on the country. “It is confirmed that she was detained by the military since she reported to the junta yesterday,” said the source, who had served in Yingluck´s government and was present when she turned herself in.He said her whereabouts remained unknown.
An army spokesman was due to hold the junta´s first press briefing since the takeover at 10:30 am (0330 GMT).In the latest twist in years of escalating political turmoil, the kingdom´s tough-talking army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha deposed the civilian government Thursday, saying he acted to quell the escalating strife.
US suspends aid
The United States, which has led international calls for restoration of civilian rule, took its first concrete steps, saying it would suspend $3.5 million in military assistance for the country, about one-third of its aid.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington was also considering further cuts under a US law mandating suspension of assistance to foreign militaries that overthrow elected governments.
Under the new regime civil liberties have been drastically curbed, most of the constitution suspended, and a night-time curfew imposed as the army cleared rival political protesters from Bangkok´s streets.
Late on Friday, the army sent dozens of troops into central Bangkok to clear scores of anti-coup demonstrators. Demonstrators had chanted slogans and held banners denouncing the coup — one read, “We will never lick dictatorship´s boots” — violating military bans on political gatherings and criticism of the takeover.
Witnesses reported seeing several people taken away by troops but no clashes were seen.
Yingluck was removed from office in a controversial court ruling earlier this month that set the stage for the takeover.
She was among more than 150 prominent figures from both sides of Thailand´s bitter political divide summoned by the army.
However, most appear to have been Puea Thai members or prominent supporters.
They were also banned from leaving the country, a step analysts said was aimed at averting formation of a government-in-exile.
Thailand has been in political crisis since a 2006 military coup deposed Yingluck´s elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon turned politician.
Thaksin shook an entrenched elite aligned with Thailand´s revered monarchy by winning ardent support among millions of rural poor with populist measures.
He was elected prime minister in 2001 but deposed in 2006 in a military coup, fleeing into exile two years later to avoid a corruption conviction. However, his family and allies have continued to triumph at the ballot box.