Thai army chief: Coup could happen

Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha on Friday said a military coup could happen, depending on the situation, local media reported. The door to a coup is neither shut nor open, but a decision will depend on the situation, Prayuth was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying. Prayuth reiterated the neutral stance of the military, and urged opposing sides to put an end to violence. Anti-government protesters clashed with the police on Thursday when they tried to storm into a Bangkok stadium where political parties drew lots for electoral numbers in the upcoming Feb. 2 general election. Two were killed and 153 others injured in the clashes. On Friday, the last day for party-list candidate registration, no protesters remained outside the stadium to block the procedure. A total of 45 parties have so far submitted their lists. The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday suggested the government postpone the election until all sides worked through their differences. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has voiced his support for the EC's proposal.