Thai military dissolves Senate

BANGKOK. KAZINFORM - The Thai military continued to hold former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Saturday, a source close to her told CNN.
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The Thai military continued to hold former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Saturday, a source close to her told CNN. More than 100 people were previously summoned. Around 150 people will be required to appear, the spokesman said in English. They come from all sides of Thailand's political divide. Not all of them are to be detained, just those directly involved in Thailand's raucous political conflicts, the spokesman said. Some of those held previously, including opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and members of Yingluck's Pheu Thai Party, were later released. That also happened to Panthongtae Shinawatra -- the nephew of Yingluck and son of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- according to a source close to his family. Saturday's list included academics and one of Yingluck's chief opponents, "Yellow Shirt" movement leader Sondhi Limthongkul. The politician suffered a gunshot wound to the head during unrest in 2009 but later recovered. Some no-shows Some of those summoned have yet to heed the council's call. On Saturday, it gave them another chance to do so and announced that those who did not comply would be taken in by "law enforcement." The military has banned more than 150 prominent figures from leaving the country and threatened to arrest politicians who disobey its orders. Security forces have arrested "many people" suspected of possessing "military grade weapons and explosive devices," the spokesman said. The armed forces seized power in a coup Thursday after months of turmoil that paralyzed much of the government and caused deadly clashes in Bangkok. It has imposed martial law, which includes a curfew, and shut out independent media reporting. CNN International's broadcasting has been blacked out in Thailand. It also dissolved the Senate, according to a statement from the military chief read on the country's broadcast outlets. On Saturday, a number of major TV stations were back on air, including MCOT, TPBS and NBT. Detentions are not expected to last much longer than seven days. Read more

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