BANGKOK — Thailand’s military hosted ground-breaking talks Wednesday between warring political rivals after imposing martial law to prevent the deeply divided kingdom degenerating into another “Ukraine or Egypt.”
The opposing camps and other top officials met for more than two hours under heavy guard in Bangkok in what one hardline supporter of the elected government called a good atmosphere — a rare glimmer of detente in the long-running political conflict.
The crisis broadly pits a Bangkok-based royalist elite and its backers against the billionaire family of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 but still enjoys strong support in northern Thailand.
There was no breakthrough at the talks chaired by army leader Gen. Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who invoked martial law Tuesday, and another meeting was called for Thursday.
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