BANGKOK — Thailand’s ruling military council stiffened its warnings Sunday against protests over its takeover of power, with its patience apparently wearing thin over demonstrations that have been growing in size and boldness.
The warning came a day before the coup leader, Army Commander Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, was expected to receive the king’s endorsement formalizing his status as head of government.
After that, it’s anticipated that Prayuth might announce plans for reshaping Thailand’s political scene with an interim constitution to replace the one scrapped by the army after Thursday’s coup, and an appointed legislative body.
On Sunday, protesters against the coup appeared to number as many as 2,000, growing from a few hundred on Friday. Tensions ran high, and at one point a group of soldiers was chased away by the crowds.
A spokesman for the ruling National Council for Peace and Order warned that officials might need to strictly enforce an army-imposed law that prohibits people from demonstrating against the coup.
