Parents pay $147/day for child care

Some parents are paying up to $147 a day for childcare in WA. Source: Supplied

PARENTS are paying up to $147 a day for childcare in WA, with 29 centres now charging three-figure fees.

The state's peak childcare body said centres have been forced to push up their fees by as much as 20 per cent over the past 18 months because of the costs of implementing new ­national regulations.

It comes as the Federal Government is under fire for freezing the income eligibility threshold for the Child Care Benefit in this month's Budget, cutting $230 million that would have gone to Australian families.

Childcare Association of WA executive officer Rachelle Tucker said they were continuing to lobby the Federal Government for increases to government subsidies for families.

"The families that are finding it hardest are those that are not eligible for the Child Care Benefit, yet living costs mean they need to work," she said.

Ms Tucker said the qualification requirements for staff under the new regulations were the biggest cost for centres, which now need to employ an early childhood teacher.

"This has been our biggest cost, along with having to have full-time administration staff to meet all the red tape that has come along with these new regulations and law,'' she said.

"Many centres are struggling with the costs as they are trying to minimalise the impact this has for the families that are already struggling with childcare costs.''

But she warned fees would continue to increase this year.

The average daily fee for long day care in WA is about $85. But The Sunday Times analysed the 262 long day care centres with fee information available and found 29 centres across the state charging $100 or more per day.

In the metropolitan area, this included 20 centres in a range of locations, including Leeming, Southern River and Subiaco.

The West Leederville and Nedlands School of Early Learning facilities are the state's highest-charging centres, both asking $147 a day, according to the Federal Government's online childcare directory.

This is equivalent to three-quarters of the average daily take-home pay of the WA woman.

The Federal Government has rebates available for parents to subsidise the cost. The Child Care Rebate pays half of the out-of-pocket annual childcare costs up to $7500 a year.

But for families paying $100-a-day child care five days a week, 48 weeks of the year, the annual cost including the rebate is still a whopping $16,500.

Assistant Minister for Education Sussan Ley said the Federal Government was "committed to making childcare more affordable, flexible and accessible''.

"(We) are increasing investment in fees assistance payments for families to $28.5 billion in this Budget,'' she said.

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WA’s Blake the new Bachelor

Perth real estate agent Blake Garvey, 31, is the new Bachelor. Source: News Corp Australia

BLAKE Garvey is used to selling houses — but the Perth real estate agent and auctioneer now has to sell himself to 24 bachelorettes as the new star of Ten's dating reality show The Bachelor.

And if his online agent profile is anything to go by, Garvey shouldn't have too many problems sealing the deal.

In it, he's likened to the king of romance, Barry White.

"When you first meet Blake you'll be struck by his height (6'5") and his deep baritone voice (he's been likened to Barry White)," reads the blurb on Acton Real Estate Carine Glades' website.

"Spend some time with him and you'll be impressed with his passion and energy and his exceptional communication skills."

Garvey told The Sunday Times he welcomed the likeness to the seductive crooner.

"I don't think it's going to hurt," he said.

"I think Barry White did quite well, from what I can see."

Garvey, who has been single for about 18 months, said he doesn't have an ideal woman.

"But it's someone who's got their heart in the right place, who's going to have a good personality and someone who is going to be real about who they are and doesn't hide behind anything," he said.

"Because it's going to be pretty obvious if they are, because we're all going to be spending a lot of time together."

The 31-year-old said he would heed his mother's dating advice.

"She said two things to me before I left to go on the show: 'Have fun and be respectful'," he said.

Garvey has regularly flexed his pecs for Perth event and modelling company Crazy Sexy Cool,

winning their best male model award in 2013.

Agency owner Michaela Maher described Garvey as very handsome, smooth, charismatic and funny.

"He is the full package really," she said.

The Bachelor was Ten's highest rating Sunday program last year, with the series averaging 753,000 metro viewers.

Its former star Tim Robards is still dating lawyer Anna Heinrich six months after they met on the show.

The Bachelor is due to hit screens later this year.

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Fears over patient info sent offshore

Hospital staff fear sending patients' ­information inter­state and ­offshore for typing is putting confidentiality at risk. Source: News Limited

HOSPITAL staff fear that a program to send patients' ­information inter­state and ­offshore for typing is putting confidentiality at risk.

An investigation by The Sunday Times can reveal that 12 health facilities — including Royal Perth and Fremantle hospitals — now outsource ­typing.

GP referrals, discharge papers and internal reports are some of the documents being typed up by workers in the eastern states, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

Audio recordings made by doctors are sent to a private company whose employees work from home to transcribe and type letters.

They use their own computers, but the company claims specialised software prevents them from saving "final copies of letters" on their hard drives.

Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Mark Olson has warned it is a "recipe for disaster."

Osborne Park Hospital will start using a private transcription company this week.

The company, NTS Transcriptions, is based in Melbourne but employs work-from-home typists in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

Under the hospital agreement, NTS Transcriptions will be paid 25c a line.

OPH staff have told The Sunday Times they fear doctors and specialists will be pressured to be brief when dictating reports to help keep costs down.

This could mean important medical history could be left out.

NTS Transcriptions director Mike Scales said staff were put through a "very stringent" screening process and had to sign a confidentiality agreement.

And according to the company's website, its server is located in Chicago Illinois which has "substantially similar" privacy laws to Australia.

Mr Scales said the company did work for six hospitals in WA.

The Health Department has confirmed other health facilities also outsource medical typing, but said they "engage other providers when required". A spokesman said the service was used by facilities on an "ad hoc basis" when there was a backlog of work. He could not provide more specific details.

Mr Olson said there was a "risk that sensitive patient information can go astray".

"This is a quick fix that has the potential for patient information to be compromised and West Australians do not want their personal data floating around unknown countries, with unknown people," he said.

Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said he was concerned standards were being lowered in favour of cost cutting.

"It means we cannot be confident about the privacy issues, and it means that local jobs are being lost," Mr Cook said.

"It's time the Barnett Government stopped cutting costs and started protecting standards."

Dan Hill, WA secretary of Health Services Union, the union which represents medical typists, said it was "much safer and more productive" to keep medical typing close to the source.

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Seven shot in ‘mass murder’

Scene of the shooting ... in California. Picture: France Kirsten, Twitter Source: Supplied

A GUNMAN went on a drive-by shooting rampage in a uni student enclave in Southern California, leaving at least seven people including the shooter dead and wounding seven others, police say.

Driving a black BMW, the suspect opened fire on pedestrians from his vehicle at several locations in the town on a busy Friday night at the college town of Isla Vista, near the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said the shooting "appears to be a mass murder situation" and believe he acted alone.

The gunman — who has not been officially named — twice exchanged gunfire with deputies before speeding off each time, finally crashing into a parked car.

Cops found the suspect inside the BMW, dead from a gunshot wound to the head.

It is not know if the suspect was shot and killed by deputies, or if the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, said Mr Brown. A semiautomatic handgun was recovered at the scene.

Seven victims are currently being treated in hospital for gunshot wounds and trauma, and at least one is in surgery, the sheriff's spokesperson told CNN.

Mass shooting ... Bodies are seen covered on the ground after a mass drive-by shooting near the campus of the University of Santa Barbara in Isla Vista, California. Picture: AP Photo/KEYT, John Palminteri Source: AP

It wasn't immediately clear what touched off the gunfire or what the suspect's motivation might have been.

Authorities searching for a motive were looking into a YouTube video that contains a man's tirade against women who supposedly rebuffed him, Mr Brown said.

The suspect was "severely mentally disturbe," Mr Brown told KEYT.

Police are "analysing both written and videotaped evidence that suggest this atrocity was a premeditated mass murder," Mr Brown told reporters.

The sheriff is not releasing the suspect's name until a positive ID can be made.

Mr Brown, however, confirmed that written and video material left by 22-year-old Elliot Rodger of Calabasas in the hours and days leading up to the shooting is being reviewed as evidence in to the massacre.

"It appears to be connected," he said, the Independent reports.

"We have identified nine separate crime scenes," Mr Brown said, describing the situation in the streets of the college town at an early morning press conference as "chaotic."

Paramedics on the scene ... a night-time drive-by shooting in a student enclave next to the University of California. Picture: NOOZHAWK Source: Supplied

Brown said the shootings occurred at several sites in the town, resulting in nine crime scenes.

Santa Barbara County sheriff's spokeswoman Kelly Hoover told KEYT-TV the gunfire broke out around 9.30pm Friday in the Isla Vista neighbourhood.

Bloody scene ... Seven people, including the suspected gunman, died during the shooting rampage. Picture: AP//KEYT, John Palminteri Source: AP

A student told the station he saw shots fired from a BMW, fatally striking one woman and critically injuring another woman.

"I heard shots, scream, pain," Michael Vitak said.

"All emotions. I hope she is going to be fine."

Wrecked car ... a BMW sedan sits wrecked on an Isla Vista sidewalk after the driver — who allegedly gunned down six people during a blocks-long shooting rampage Picture: Urban Hikers Source: Supplied

Xavier Mozejewski told NewsChannel 3 reporter Victoria Sanchez that he witnessed some of the violence and described it as an "old western shootout."

The station said a black BMW slammed into as many as two cars.

The shooting prompted officials to issue alerts urging people to stay indoors.

The seven injured victims are being treated at Santa Barbara Cottage hospital — some for gunshot wounds, others for trauma sustained when the suspect crashed his car as he was pursued — and one recently underwent surgery for life-threatening injuries.

Nine crime scenes ... night-time drive-by shooting in a student enclave next to the University of California. Picture: NOOZHAWK Source: Supplied

Isla Vista is known for parties, including an annual spring bash that turned into a violent blowout last month as young people clashed with police and tossed rocks and bottles.

A university police officer and four deputies were injured and 130 people were arrested.

The incident occurred over a 10-minute period, from the first emergency call at 9.27pm to the suspect's discovery, KEYT-TV reported.

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WorkSafe probe into fire truck safety

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis was unaware there was a safety probe into WA's firetrucks. Source: News Limited

EMERGENCY Services Minister Joe Francis is unaware WA's safety watchdog is investigating claims our fire trucks have design faults.

Documents leaked to The Sunday Times reveal concerns firefighters are being sent to blazes in vehicles that are hundreds of kilograms overweight, have water pressure problems, are equipped with tyres not meant to go off-road and even have water tanks in the wrong place.

The documents also claim the rollout of vital safety features such as heat shields and sprinkler systems is "flawed".

WorkSafe has confirmed it is investigating these claims. And, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services confirmed it is replacing tyres on many vehicles because the manufacturer said they were "not suited for cross-country driving".

Mr Francis conceded up to one in four fire trucks had weight issues, which affects braking and manoeuvrability.

Yet he said he was unaware of the WorkSafe investigation into other concerns, such as tyres and water pressure fears.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said. "Let's be realistic, I'm the Minister – I'm not the chief mechanic for the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

"It's not a cop-out, but it's not my job to micromanage the types of tyres that are fitted to fire trucks."

Mr Francis said ensuring trucks were safe was Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson's responsibility.

"His job is to make sure (trucks are safe)," he said. "Now, if he said to me, 'I need more money to provide resources or modify trucks', well that's where my job kicks in."

Opposition emergency services spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said she was appalled by Mr Francis's lack of responsibility.

"He is more than happy to have a photo opportunity in front of a fire truck, but not ensure the safety of its occupants," Ms Quirk said.

The documents obtained by The Sunday Times reveal a catalogue of concerns dating back to 2005. A recent complaint warns hundreds of vehicles are so overweight they are "illegal", some by as much as 800kg.

Another says the rollout of vital safety features was adding to the weight problems. "More weight, no matter how small, increases the risks," it says.

The leaked document also says the rollout of safety features has been inconsistent. "This will lead to end-users putting faith in a safety feature that is flawed," it says.

Another complaint says potentially fatal issues, such as reports of a "water pressure spike problem" in hundreds of vehicles, have been ignored for years. The tyre bungle was first raised more than three years ago, one complaint claims.

Mr Gregson said he ordered a fleet review in June 2012 after realising he had inherited "a number of longstanding issues, concerns and areas for improvement".

He said he was addressing the weight issues with "urgency and transparency", but denied they were affecting the rollout of safety features, which he said had a "consistent standard".

Mr Gregson said "water spiking" fears had been investigated by an independent engineer who found "there were no concerns".

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The forgotten details of MH370

Family of missing Malaysian Airlines Captain Zaharie Shah from flight MH370 pay tribute to him. Courtesy: Chumguan Phoon/YouTube

ANGRY family members of those on board MH370 have sent an 18-page letter to the Prime Ministers of Australia and Malaysia, demanding answers about the ill-fated flight.

IN FULL: Read the MH370 letter

The letter, calling for the truth, has been sent to Tony Abbott and Najib Razak, along with a host of Malaysian ministers and Government bodies involved in the search for the plane which today enters its 76th day with no trace.

So far the family group which composed and sent the letter has had no response from any Government official but says they are not surprised by the lack of communication.

The letter comprises an analysis of the preliminary report into the plane's disappearance, which was released on May 1 but written a month earlier, on April 9.

Family member, Sarah Bajc, whose partner Philip Wood was on board the plane, said that a host of experts, including retired pilots and air traffic controllers and military experts, had helped the family group to analyse the preliminary report.

And what the families want is for a host of erroneous information, which is currently out there about what happened to the plane, to be eliminated.

They want the truth.

Ms Bajc said the families want more answers about the investigation to be released and for transparency.

The Malaysian Government has now pledged to publicly release the raw satellite data, from Insmarsat satellite communications company. But they have given no time frame for when this would be done.

The data was used to plot the Boeing 777-200's path after it disappeared from civilian and military radar and showed it had flown down into the southern Indian Ocean, off Perth.

FBI PROBE: Sarah Bajc cops death threat after MH370 went missing

MH370 SEARCH: Hits unbelievable technical snag

Seeking the truth ... Sarah Bajc and her partner Philip Wood. He went missing with Malaysia Flight MH370. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

The letter to Australian and Malaysian leaders says the preliminary report contains only a "skimpy account" of some things and contains glaring ommisions. And it makes no mention of the police investigation into the crew and passengers and what that has found out.

"The purpose of this analysis is to highlight discrepancies of facts or details in the report itself and to consolidate the outstanding questions many people expected would have been addressed but were not," the letter says.

Still looking for clues ... Australian navy vessel Ocean Shield is pictured berthed at Fleet Base West near Perth as it prepared to resupply and undertake routine maintenance. Picture: Greg Wood Source: AFP

"We request that a comprehensive interim report be issued as soon as possible detailing all the known facts, to include, but not be limited to, the many areas that we have enumerated in our analysis. We believe that eliminating wrong information and assumptions is as important as confirming correct information and assumptions."

Taking its toll ... one family member of a missing relative on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 from China breaks down as she speaks to the media at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Picture: Azhar Rahim Source: AP

The letter includes questions about "omitted information" from the preliminary report which could be suspicious, retracted data which waves a red flag. And there is no mention of an FBI analysis of the flight simulator hard drive at the chief pilot's home.

"There is no mention on why they are so sure the Inmarsat data is highly accurate and reliable to the extent that they have thrown all resources there," referring to the search in the southern Indian Ocean.

"There are no statements from the independent sources who supposedly looked at the edata as to what data they analysed or how they analysed it."

The families of those on board have long been asking for access to the raw satellite data in a bid to have it independently analysed by experts.

Search continues ... Able Seaman Matthew Tranter-Edwards kneels alongside the 'Artemis' Bluefin-21, on the deck of the Australian navy ship Ocean Shield. Picture: Greg Wood Source: AFP

The Malaysian Airlines flight, with 239 passengers and crew on board, disappeared in the early hours of March 8 on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Since then no trace of the jetliner has been found, despite a multi-million dollar search effort.

There are so far no clues, at least publicly known, for why and how the plane veered so radically from its course, doing an air turnback as it was crossing between Malaysian and Vietnamese air space, and then flying back over Malaysia, over the tip of Indonesia and into the treacherous southern Indian Ocean.

The search, off Perth, has so far yielded little and doubt is now also being cast on a series of "pings" which authorities were certain had come from the plane's black box.

The search has now entered a new phase and underwater mapping of the ocean bed is due to begin soon.

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Asian students injured in bus horror

A bus carrying international students has rolled over on Toodyay Road west of Gidgegannup, putting 21 people in hospital. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: News Corp Australia

MORE than 20 international students and adults were injured in a horror bus crash in Perth's Hills last night.

The students — believed to aged from 10 to 12 and from Indonesia and Malaysia — were on a bus about 7.40pm heading to a campsite at Lake Leschenaultia, about 50km east of Perth, when it crashed.

The bus left Toodyay Road and rolled into a drainage ditch about 2km west of Gidgegannup, 40km east of the city.

The bus appears to have failed to take a right hand bend and has knocked down a 100km/h speed sign as it left the road and went down the embankment.

The 100km/h speed sign lies crumpled on the side of the road after it was hit by the bus, carrying more than 20 international students and adults. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Firefighters returning from another job stumbled upon the crash just before 8pm last night.

They used "jaws-of-life'' cutting equipment to free some of the injured from the wreckage.

The RAC Rescue helicopter was called to the scene but was unable to land due to heavy fog, which reduced visibility.

A bus carrying international students has rolled over on Toodyay Road west of Gidgegannup, putting 21 people in hospital. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Eleven ambulances were used to ferry the injured to three separate hospitals — Princess Margaret Hospital, Royal Perth and Swan District Hospital.

A PMH spokeswoman this morning said nine of the students were brought to them last night, but only two were admitted for treatment.

Two of the injured passengers were transferred from Swan Districts to Royal Perth Hospital last night.

Police markings show the path of the bus as it left the road and rolled down an embankment west of Gidgegannup. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Four adults remain in RPH with broken bones and one child is still in PMH with bruising and lacerations.

There were 24 people on board at the time.

Fourteen of the passengers were students, the remaining 10 were adults.

The bus left the road and rolled down a steep drop-off. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Of the group, 21 are Malaysian nationals, two are from Indonesia and the bus driver was a 51-year-old Ballajura man.

This afternoon, Major Crash Unit officer in charge Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Hunter said Major Crash was investigating the matter because of the number of people involved.

"At this stage a mechanical inspection is being conducted on the bus to determine if anything went wrong," he said.

"The driver has been breath tested and we don't believe alcohol was an issue in this case. At this stage we believe he has an appropriate license."

Det Sen Sgt Hunter said is also appeared speed was not a factor in the crash.

"This would have been a traumatic experience immediately after the crash, emergency services were on hand very shortly afterwards, there were a lot of ambulances, a lot of police, a lot of fire teams, so it would have been traumatic," he said.

Det Sen Sgt Hunter said there had also been a crash on the same stretch of road about 6pm yesterday and there had been a number of crashes on the road historically.

He said the police were in contact with the Malaysian and Indonesian Consulates and families.

TRAFFIC: CHECK THE CONGESTION

The accident took place in a 100km/h zone, but there is no indication what speed the bus was travelling when it rolled.

Major Crash investigators have ruled out alcohol as a factor in the crash, but said last night speed or foggy conditions could have contributed.

Major Crash officers will return to the scene this morning.

Millennium Kids, the not for profit organisation that was hosting the foreign students, said the youngsters were in WA to attend a two-day forum hosted by the Swan River Trust.

Millennium Kids chairman Rachael Cochrain said most of the students on the bus were from the Kuala Lumpur based Malaysian group, E-ijau, and three were from Tunas Indonesia, which is a youth environment organisation based in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Three of the adult minders were also Malaysian.

Ms Cochrain said all of the people involved in the crash were in a stable condition, with the most serious injuries being broken bones.

She said the group was working closely with the Indonesian and Malaysian Consulates to help the youngsters get in touch with their families.

The accident happened on the same stretch of road which claimed the lives of a young mother and her two sons 10 months ago, when their vehicle collided with a truck.

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‘WA needs innovative housing for young’

Join Kara Vickery as she catches up with Premier Colin Barnett for the third instalment of Coffee with Colin.

PREMIER Colin Barnett has called on the building industry to become more "innovative" to better meet the needs of WA's young people.

During PerthNow's third Coffee with Colin today, Mr Barnett said alternative designs would help young people break into the housing market.

"For young people, maybe couples before they have children or even with young children, if they wish to live close to the city, say within even 15km or so, there is limited choice now available and the prices obviously are high," he said.

"And not everyone wants to live in the traditional Australian block of land in the outer suburbs.

"I would like to see the building industry be more innovative.

"I happen to personally think terrace type developments are very attractive, where you have got perhaps a two-storey terrace with a small backyard.

Coffee with Colin: Premier Colin Barnett at the Midland Railway Workshops this morning with PerthNow reporter Kara Vickery. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

"We need more housing designs that will allow people to be able to live closer to the city if that's their desire. And I think more and more people are wanting to do that."

Mr Barnett met PerthNow at the Midland Railway Workshops this morning to answer a series of questions chosen by readers.

Responding to questions about disgraced former Treasurer Troy Buswell — the most popular questions among readers — Mr Barnett said it was up to Mr Buswell to decide if he continues on as the Member for Vasse.

"I think that's something Troy will decide," he said.

"Sometimes people think the Premier is the boss of Members of Parliament. It doesn't work that way.

Premier Colin Barnett at the Midland Railway Workshops this morning with PerthNow reporter Kara Vickery. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

"Troy is the member for Vasse. He was elected. He'll have to make a decision as to whether he continues on in that role."

But Mr Barnett said he did not think Mr Buswell was "well enough" to return to Cabinet.

Mr Barnett also answered questions about the proposed Roe 8 Highway extension, saying he wasn't yet sure where the State Government's portion of funding for the road would come from.

"I don't know if it will be in the next State Budget," he said.

"We are now going to have to see how we can fund our share of that project. We're certainly keen to do so. State finances are tight but I'm sure we will find a way."

Premier Colin Barnett at the old Midland Railway Workshops. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: News Limited

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Perth, South West brace for storm

Perth and the South West has been warned to brace for severe weather tonight. Source: News Limited

PERTH and the South West should brace for a storm overnight and tomorrow, which may bring destructive winds of more than 100km/h.

A cold front is expected to bring strong winds and rainfall to the south west coast overnight, prompting a severe weather warning.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued the warning, which says a cold front will move over the south west this evening and cover the south west land division tomorrow morning.

"Thunderstorms and showers associated with the front may bring damaging winds up to 100 kilometres per hour and could cause damage to homes and property," the alert states.

"Heavy rainfall may also bring localised flooding."

The alert includes people between the Perth metropolitan area, Mandurah, Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River, Albany, Katanning, Narrogin, York and surrounding areas.

The warning issued by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services says the weather is typical for this time of the year, but warned winds may cause damage to property and make roads dangerous to drive on.

DFES advises residents to store or weigh down loose objects which could be picked up and thrown by strong winds, make sure pets and animals are in a safe area and move vehicles under cover.

"Residents should also unplug electrical appliances and avoid using landline telephones if there is lightning," it states.

"Construction workers should store loose building material and tie down sheds while boat owners should securely moor their boats.

"(People should) also ensure they have a complete emergency kit, including a battery operated radio, torch, spare batteries and first aid kit."

If your home is badly damaged by a storm call the State Emergency Service on 132 500.

For the latest weather information visit www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 213.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Thai general declares coup official

Thailand's military chief says they are taking control of the government to 'restore order' in the country.

In control ... Thai army soldiers have surrounded a building containing the nation's leaders after their general declared a coup d'etat. Picture: Nicolas ASFOURI Source: AFP

THAILAND'S has military seized power in a bloodless coup, dissolving the government, suspending the constitution and dispersing groups of protesters from both sides of the country's political divide who had gathered in Bangkok and raised fears of a violent showdown.

The powerful army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha announced the military takeover in a stunning statement broadcast on national television.

Coup announced ... Thailand General Prayut Chan-O-Cha (centre) announces in a televised address to the nation that the armed forces have seizing power after months of deadly political turmoil. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Thai television Source: AFP

It was followed by additional announcements, including a nationwide curfew from 10pm to 5am and an order for top government officials — including the ousted prime minister — to report immediately to the country's new governing military commission.

There was no immediate sign of soldiers patrolling central Bangkok, but troops dispersed the two protest sites where competing groups were camped out — one backing the ousted government and one that had struggled for six months to unseat it. There were no signs of resistance or reports of violence.

In power ... Thai soldiers arrive to set up roadblocks outside the main campsite of anti-government protesters near the Government House after the coup. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Long lines formed at the city's elevated train and subway stations as panicked office workers tried to rush home before the curfew.

Flanked by the heads of the armed forces, General Prayuth said the coup was launched "to quickly bring the situation back to normal, to let the people have love and unity as in the past, and to reform the political and economic systems — and to grant equality to every side."

An army spokesman later announced that it had dissolved the caretaker government and suspended the constitution, but said the Senate would remain in place.

The pivotal developments came after General Prayuth declared martial law on Tuesday, in what he called a bid to resolve the crisis.

On guard ... Thai soldiers block a motorcade at the Army Club shortly after the army staged a coup in Bangkok. Picture: AP Source: AP

A day later, he had summoned the country's rival political leaders for face-to-face talks. After two days of talks, the meeting failed to break the impasse.

Shortly before the coup announcement was made, armed soldiers in military vehicles surrounded the military facility where the politicians were meeting, apparently to block those inside from leaving.

Many of the country's highest-profile figures were summoned for the meeting. They included the acting prime minister — who sent four Cabinet ministers in his place — and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, as well as Suthep's rival from the pro-government Red Shirt group, Jatuporn Prompan.

Political instability ... Thai anti-government protesters watch the coup announcement on TV at their main campsite near the Government House. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Reporters at the meeting said Mr Suthep and Mr Jatuporn were escorted out of the meeting by soldiers.

A government official, Paradorn Pattanathabutr, contacted shortly after the coup announcement said that the four ministers attending the meeting were still being held by the military.

"The rest of us who are outside are still fine and in the safe places.

"However, the situation is very worrying. We have to monitor it closely and don't know what else can happen," he said.

Political instability

The overthrow caps months of increasing political tension, pitting a Bangkok-based royalist elite and its backers against the democratically elected government aligned to Thaksin, whose sister Yingluck was dismissed as premier earlier this month in a controversial court ruling.

Celebrating ... Anti-government protesters sing the national anthem in Bangkok after the government was overthrown. Picture: AP Source: AP

Thailand has been gripped by bouts of political instability for more than seven years.

The latest round of unrest started in November, when demonstrators took to the streets to try to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down.

They accused her of being a proxy for her popular billionaire brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence on a corruption conviction.

The coup announced Thursday was the 12th since the country's absolute monarchy ended in 1932.

The military was widely viewed as sympathetic to the protesters seeking to oust the current government.

"Stay calm" ... The military has urged locals to stay calm, saying tourists will be safe and urging public servants to continue to come to work. Picture: AP Source: AP

'Remain calm'

The tough-talking General Prayut said he seized power because of "the violence in Bangkok and many parts of the country that resulted in loss of innocent lives and property and was likely to escalate."

"We ask the public not to panic and to carry on their lives normally," General Prayuth said. "And civil servants stay in every ministry, carry on your responsibilities as normal."

The army chief said that the military would "provide protection" for foreigners in Thailand.

General Prayuth invoked the military's expanded powers on Tuesday and issued more than a dozen edicts that included moves to muzzle the media, the internet and vaguely defined threats to prosecute opponents.

At the time, the military had insisted it was not seizing power, but the move prompted widespread speculation in Thailand of an imminent coup.

Military coup ... Thai soldiers stand guard at a roadblock outside the Defence Ministry building after the coup. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Fears for the future

Some experts expressed fears the military takeover could unleash more turmoil.

"The coup is not a solution at all to end the crisis. This will become the crisis," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University.

"It shows the military has never learned the lesson from 2006," he said, referring to the cycle of political crisis stemming from Thaksin's overthrow.

Mr Pavin said the coup would make anti-government protesters "very happy".

Protests by the anti-Thaksin movement have rocked Thailand for months. Related violence has left at least 28 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Seizing power ... This handout picture released by the Thai Army shows Thai anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban (C) walking prior to meeting with General Prayut. Picture: AFP / Thai Army Source: AFP

The army chief likely took over due to the weakened caretaker government's refusal to make way for an interim regime, said Paul Chambers of the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs at Chiang Mai University.

"Since the caretaker government was resisting moving to an ad hoc prime minister, Prayut was pressured to take the 2006 option," he said.

The English-language newspaper The Bangkok Post ran a commentary Thursday titled "Coup or No Coup, Task Ahead Is Huge.''

The column questioned the military's intentions and its stated goal of imposing martial law to bring about a democratic solution.

Taking position ... An armed Thai soldier ducks behind a military vehicle in the compound of the Army Club shortly after the military staged a coup in Bangkok. Picture: AP Source: AP

"Will the army chief be able to persuade politicians to bridge their differences and start talking, to place the national interest beyond that of their own? No one knows,'' the column said.

"At this stage, the people realise they have no choice but to place their trust in the army chief.''

Suthep's anti-government movement, which started in November, had blocked elections and vowed to overthrow the Thai government.

Thousands of his supporters were gathered in Bangkok's historic district near the prime minister's office compound, which has been vacant for months due to security concerns.

The pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt" movement had called for new national polls they hope will provide a fresh mandate to the beleaguered elected government.

Coup ... Anti-government protesters lift a giant national flag during the national anthem is played at their protest camp in Bangkok. Picture: AP Source: AP

But the anti-government movement has first demanded vague political reforms that are widely seen as a bid to cripple the political power of Thaksin's family and allies, and some Thais welcomed the army takeover.

Arnusit Chenruk, a 39-year-old Bangkok office worker, said the coup was a "good" thing.

"Our country has been chaotic and has had no solutions for a long time."

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