In Thailand, the army has detained ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a day after overthrowing the country’s caretaker government in a coup. <br /><br />The sister of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra had been summoned with several other politicians for a meeting earlier on Friday to a military complex north of Bangkok. After several hours of talks Ms Yingluck was later reportedly taken away to an undisclosed location.<br /><br />The US, which has condemned the power grab along with a host of other countries, called for the detainees immediate release. <br /><br />Elsewhere, as Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha moved to consolidate his grip on power, many Thais in Bangkok defied martial law to protest against the takeover. <br /><br />The head of the army launched his coup, claiming it was necessary to restore order and normality, after Thailand’s rival factions refused to give ground following months of protests. <br /><br />Earlier, Prayuth also summoned political and business leaders to Bangkok’s Army Club, reportedly appointing six of Thailand’s most senior military officers to run the country.
