Thailand's army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, right, speaks during a news conference at army headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. Prayuth urged both sides in the country's bitter political dispute to show restraint on Friday, but for the first time since the crisis began last month did not rule out the possibility of a coup. Thailand has been wracked by two months of political tensions and occasionally violent street protests pitting the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against protesters seeking to oust her. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)
December 26, 2013 - 11:46 PM
BANGKOK - Thai army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has urged both sides in the country's bitter political dispute to show restraint.
The comments Friday to reporters indicate that the army, which has staged at least 11 coups in the country's history, is remaining out of the current political fray.
Prayuth said the army had shown "red traffic lights to both sides so things will calm down."
The country has been wracked by two months of political tensions and occasionally violent street protests pitting the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against protesters seeking to oust her.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013