The Thai military staged a coup d’etat on Thursday—making it the 19th real or attempted coup since the monarchy fell in 1932. Army Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha went on television to announce he’s taken over as prime minister, two days after he imposed martial law while insisting it was not a coup and that the caretaker government remained in charge. Local and foreign TV stations have been blacked out and prominent political figures detained, among them Democrat Party leader and former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. A big question is whether former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is now in the northern city of Chiang Mai, will be arrested.
