Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha (centre) appears on national television Thursday (May 22nd) to announce a power seizure by the armed forces. The military had to act to restore political stability, he told the country. [AFP/Thai Television]

BANGKOK, Thailand – Army Commander-in-Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power in a military coup Thursday (May 22nd), AFP reported.

The armed forces had to act to restore stability, Prayuth announced in a nationally televised address. The military suspended the national constitution, except for the chapter on the monarchy.

Prayuth said he would head a National Peace Keeping Committee that would hold power.

Moments before the broadcast, witnesses said they saw military personnel take away leaders of Thailand's two main political parties and its rival protest movements from a venue where Prayuth had convened talks for resolving their differences.

After the announcement, the army ordered all television and radio stations to suspend usual programming and transmit only army broadcasts. It imposed a nationwide curfew between 10pm and 5am, ordered street protestors to go home, and banned political gatherings of more than five people.