An uneasy calm settled over Bangkok Friday as one of the world´s most vibrant cities crept back to life after a night-time curfew imposed by the military when it imposed martial law.
The capital´s usual morning gridlock was relieved as schools were shuttered following an army order, but many people returned to work as normal, stopping at food stalls which opened following the end of the curfew at 5:00 am (2200 GMT Thursday).
Overnight the commercial heart of the city, famed among foreign holidaymakers for its 24-hour beat, was reduced to a near ghost town, with only the occasional tuk-tuk or taxi plying the roads as the curfew descended.
A smattering of bars breached the order serving beers to bemused tourists, most of whom were holed up in their hotels.