Thailand's military officially imposed martial law in the country early Tuesday, though they deny that it's a coup d'etat. 

According to The Toronto Star, the army's surprise declaration is worsening the country's already tense political crisis. 

The military junta begins six months after anti-government protests started to oust the current government. However, the acting prime minister has refused to step down. 

The army said in a statement Tuesday that the military is taking over "to keep peace and order."

An army official said, "This is definitely not a coup. This is only to provide safety to the people, and the people can still carry on their lives as normal."

The official military statement was signed by army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha. The military justified its actions by referring to a 1914 law that gives the military the authority to take over during a crisis. The military said the protests between opposing political factions "could impact the country's security and safety of the lives and properties of the public." 

The army has staged 11 coups since the end of monarchial rule in 1932. 

However, despite the coup-like situation, Thailand's acting prime minister said his government will not disband, despite pressure from opposing lawmakers and anti-governmnet protesters. 

An acting prime minister and temporary government has been in power since former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the lower house in December and was ousted for abuses of power in early May. 

Acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan and Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri met with representatives Monday at an undisclosed location to avoid being inundated with protesters. 

The current government has operated in a limited, caretaker capacity since Yingluck dissolved the legislature's lower house. The country has not yet held elections for a new government, and anti-government protesters insist they will block a new election from occurring if political reforms are not enacted first. 

The protesters are calling for an interim prime minister to be chosen prior to elections. 

Yingluck was removed by a constitutional court, along with nine of her cabinet members, due to nepotism. She was replaced by an acting prime minister from the ruling party, which is being criticized by the anti-government protesters. 

Anti-government protesters are promising to call off rallies if they are not successful in ousting the government by May 26. Many protests have taken place in the past six months with violence often breaking out. Twenty-eight people have died in the protests, and hundreds more have been injured. 

Labor unions that represent around 20 state-owned businesses vowed to strike Tuesday in solidarity with anti-government protesters. However, some companies, such as Thai Airways, said they would continue to operate normally. 

The country's political instability began in 2006 when Yingluck's brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted by a military coup after being accused of abuses of power and corruption. He fled the country and has been in exile in Dubai ever since. 

Despite his ouster, the telecom billionaire is seen as a populist figure and is very popular among poorer citizens in the rural north. 

Parties controlled by Thaksin have won every election since 2001. 

Anti-government protesters, coupled with the opposition Democrat Party, want to completely remove the ruling party from government.