Thailand’s junta released former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and 11 leaders of the protest movement that rocked Bangkok for seven months before being terminated by last week’s coup d’etat, reports said on Monday.
Ms. Yingluck was released late Sunday after two days in detention, the junta-controlled National News Bureau of Thailand said.
Suthep Thaugsuban, leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, was escorted on Monday with 10 other protest leaders from an army base to the Office of the Attorney General on early Monday, the Bangkok Post reported.
Ms. Yingluck has not made any public appearance.
“I don’t think she has freedom of mobility and communication,” an unnamed source close to her told broadcaster CNN in confirming her release.
Mr. Suthep and other protest leaders face charges of insurrection for leading demonstrations since November aimed at toppling the former government led by the Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party.
Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power with a coup on Thursday, after talks involving political parties and rival street movements failed to end the political impasse.
About 200 politicians, activists, academics and journalists have been >summoned by the coup makers since Thursday, of whom at least 150 have been detained.
Junta officials said most will probably be freed within a week.
Royal endorsement
Thai army chief and junta head General Prayuth Chan-ocha says he has received a royal endorsement from King Bhumibol Adulyadej to head the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC), as the junta has named itself.
The official Royal Gazette confirmed the endorsement.
When pressed about when he would return power to a civilian government, Gen. Prayuth gave no deadline, saying on Monday that “if we don’t have political conflicts, we can return to normal.” The army chief said during a news conference at army headquarters that in the meantime he would rule the country with the assistance of the permanent secretaries of the government ministries.
