Hours after Thailand’s army declared martial law, anti-government protesters have vowed to fight on and to bring down the country’s caretaker government.

Suthep Thaugsuban and his supporters want what they call a “neutral” prime minister to oversee electoral reforms aimed at ending the influence of the Shinawatra family.

“Tomorrow we will still be here. We still have to continue our mission as planned in order to get a prime minister of the people, a government of the people,” Thaugsuban told demonstrators.

The move is in defiance of an army order to rival political groups not to hold rallies.

While troops patrolled parts of Bangkok, a spokesperson for the caretaker government led by supporters of self-exiled Thaksin Shinawatra insisted it was still running the country.

Thailand’s military has said it is not taking power but is instead restoring stability after months of increasingly violent clashes.