Army blocks anti-coup rallies

Thousands of soldiers and police locked down some of Bangkok's major intersections on Sunday, effectively stifling anti-coup protests. Several top-end malls around the Ratchaprasong area closed or reduced opening hours and parts of the overhead rail network were also shut down in the central area.

Protests against the coup have taken place in the capital most days since army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha led the May 22 military takeover. However, they have been small and brief as the army has banned political gatherings of five people or more.

Since taking power the military has also moved to silence its critics arresting more than 250 people, including members of the government it ousted, other politicians, activists and journalists.

Prayuth said the military had acted to halt months of political turmoil as opposition supporters staged mass protests demanding the ouster of the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra. Just weeks before the coup, Yingluck had been forced out of office after a court found her guilty of abuse of power.

Thailand has been wracked by an ongoing political crisis since a military coup in 2006 that deposed Yingluck's billionaire elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been living for years in self-imposed exile to avoid arrest over a corruption conviction.

US and Australia cut military ties

On Saturday, both the US and Australia cut military ties with Thailand.

Speaking at an Asian security conference in Singapore, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said Washington had suspended military ties with the country, and was reassessing its future assistance to the country's armed forces.

Regional power Australia, meanwhile, also suspended military cooperation and suspended three training exercises for Thai soldiers in coming weeks.

hc/tj (Reuters, AFP, AP)