Thai soldiers take no side in political conflict

Thai army chief on Friday demanded all sides involved in the country's current political tumult not to drag soldiers in. "The army would like to inform the public that the army is the army of His Majesty the King and the people," Prayuth Chan-ocha was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying. Anti-government protesters should not try to force the army to take their side, Prayuth said in a statement issued after a group of protesters stormed into the compound of the army headquarters at noon. The army was monitoring the situation and was ready to protect people under circumstances of injuries or loss of lives resulting from protests-induced violence, Prayuth was cited as saying. He also called for resolving the crisis in a quick and peaceful manner. On Friday, protesters also marched to the headquarters of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the U.S. embassy in Bangkok. The anti-government movement, spearheaded by former Democrat legislator Suthep Thaugsuban, demands to uproot the so-called " Thaksin's regime," allegedly carried out by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of deposed former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.