Thai coup leader to be acting PM

Thai coup leader to be acting PM
(AP)
Updated: 2006-09-20 21:27

BANGKOK - The army commander who seized Thailand's government in a swift, bloodless coup promised Wednesday to act as prime minister for only two weeks, until a new leader "who is neutral and upholds democracy" is found and a temporary constitution is enacted.

Army chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin told a news conference that a general election would be held in October 2007, and he hinted that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra could face prosecution for wrongdoing.

Thailand's Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin listens to a reporter's questions in Bangkok Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2006. The army general who ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra indicated Wednesday that the fallen leader could be prosecuted for wrongdoing and said a post-coup interim government would retain power for no more than one year. Transitional government to be formed in Thailand after two weeks, following coup, says Gen. Sondhi. [AP]

In the country's first coup in 15 years, Sondhi led a well-orchestrated overthrow while Thaksin was in New York at the UN General Assembly. Sondhi said on nationwide television that the overthrow was needed "in order to resolve the conflict and bring back normalcy and harmony among people."

"I am the one who decided to stage the coup. No one supported me," Sondhi said, referring to Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The British Foreign Office said Thaksin was to arrive in Britain Wednesday on a private visit. A spokeswoman for London's Gatwick Airport said a chartered Thai Airways jet was due to land there around noon EDT.

The Thai Embassy in London said it had no immediate information on Thaksin's whereabouts.

A British government spokesman said Thaksin had no meetings scheduled with Prime Minister Tony Blair or other officials.

"Any citizen of the world is free to visit the United Kingdom providing their paperwork is in order," he said on condition of anonymity in line with government policy. "He can come spend his money at Harrods if he wants to."

Bangkok, a city of more than 10 million, was calm Wednesday, and most residents appeared unfazed. About 500 people gathered outside army headquarters Wednesday afternoon to lend moral support to the military, chanting "Thaksin Get Out!"

The newly created Council of Administrative Reform put the country under martial law and declared a provisional authority loyal to the Thai king, seizing television and radio stations and ordering government offices, banks, schools and the stock market to close for the day.

The unexpected coup rattled Asian financial markets Wednesday and pressured the Thai baht and other regional currencies, though its economic repercussions remained unclear.

1 2