The US today said it remains "very concerned" about the declaration of martial law in Thailand and hoped that the military's move would be temporary and not undermine democracy.
"We are aware of reports that Thailand's army has declared martial law and are monitoring developments closely," State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.
"We remain very concerned about the deepening political crisis in Thailand and urge all parties to respect democratic principles, including respect for freedom of speech," she said.
The Thai army in a surprise move today declared martial law in what it said was to help "preserve law and order" after six months of anti-government protests that left the country without proper functioning government.
The army, however, denied the imposition of the law was a coup. The move was announced on military's television channel at 3 am (1:30 IST).
"We understand the Royal Thai Army announced that this martial law declaration is not a coup. We expect the Army to honour its commitment to make this a temporary action to prevent violence, and to not undermine democratic institutions," she said.
Psaki said the US is concerned about the political crisis and wants all parties to work together to find a solution.
"The United States firmly believes all parties must work together to resolve differences through dialogue and find a way forward. This development underscores the need for elections to determine the will of the Thai people," Psaki said.
