By Stan Friedman

BANGOK, THAILAND (May 22, 2014) — Other than having to obey a curfew, Bob Shim says Covenant mission work is unaffected by the military coup this week.

Shim says the missionaries are monitoring the situation but do not fear for their safety. The curfew lasts from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. local time.

Covenant missionaries are involved in ministries that include camps, a leadership center, and fish farms.

Since the end of the country’s absolute monarchy in 1932, Thailand has had 12 coups, most of which have not been violent. The most recent was in 2006.

The military declared on Tuesday that it was instituting martial law to restore order after six months of political upheaval and protests that led to the deaths of at least 28 people and 700 injuries. Today the army announced it was taking full control of the government.

Large separate rallies in Bangkok by pro-government and anti-government protesters were planned in the coming days, and many people feared there would be more violence.