Thai military hosts forum on political crisis

Thailand's armed forces took center stage Saturday in the country's ongoing political drama, showing off its gentler side in hosting a forum to allow the leader of a protest movement to present his demand for an immediate change of government, AP reported. The military did not indicate whether it would act on the protesters' behalf, and protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban repeated his position that caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must step down and an interim, non-elected government administer the country before any new polls are held. An election has been called for February. Thailand's military is historically noted for intervening during political crises, staging about a dozen coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, and using the threat of force for leverage.