100 Protesters Defy Ban, Military Coup Rulers

Thailand’s new military rulers got their first taste of popular dissent when about 100 protesters defied a ban on public gatherings to denounce this week’s army coup as undemocratic.

The coup leaders, who toppled elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday, pressed ahead with efforts to purge the government of the former leader’s influence. They removed his supporters from key posts and detained some, while appointing an anti-corruption committee to investigate possible financial wrongdoing by the ousted politicians.