~ Thailand’s military tightens grip ~

20 09 2006

[tag]Thai military leaders[/tag] have begun consolidating their hold on power after staging a [tag]coup[/tag] while [tag]the prime minister[/tag] was at the [tag]UN General Assembly[/tag].

[tag]Martial law[/tag] has been declared, and [tag]the coup leaders[/tag] have announced that regional [tag]commanders[/tag] will take charge of areas outside the capital, Bangkok.

[tag]Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin[/tag] said in a TV address that the coup was necessary to unite the country.

The military had no intention of holding onto power, he added.

Flanked by the heads of the three services and the police, and backed by giant portraits of the king and queen, Gen Sonthi said in the brief address that Prime Minister [tag]Thaksin Shinawatra[/tag]’s policies had created serious divisions.

“We have seized power. [tag]The constitution[/tag], [tag]the senate[/tag], [tag]the house of representatives[/tag], [tag]the cabinet[/tag] and [tag]the constitutional court[/tag] have all been [tag]terminated[/tag],” he said.

“We agreed that the [tag]caretaker prime minister[/tag] has caused an [tag]unprecedented rift in society[/tag], [tag]widespread corruption[/tag], [tag]nepotism[/tag], and [tag]interfered in independent agencies[/tag], crippling them so they cannot function.

“If the caretaker government is allowed to govern it will hurt the country.

“They have also repeatedly insulted the king. Thus the council needed to [tag]seize power[/tag] to control the situation, to restore [tag]normality[/tag] and to create [tag]unity[/tag] as soon as possible.”

The coup leaders have ordered provincial governors and heads of government agencies to report to them in the coming hours.

The country’s stock market, banks and schools will be closed on Wednesday, which has been declared a public holiday.

BBC World, CNN and other international TV news channels have been taken off the air, while Thai stations have broadcast footage of the royal family and [tag]patriotic songs[/tag].

Mr Thaksin cancelled a speech he was due to give at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday evening.

It is unclear whether he intends to return home.

[tag]Declaration of loyalty[/tag]

Tuesday saw soldiers seize government offices in Bangkok and take up strategic positions around the city.

The rebels have visited King Bhumibol Adulyadej and declared loyalty to him.

Many of the soldiers on the streets are wearing yellow armbands to signify loyalty to the king.

King Bhumibol, who is highly revered by Thais, has made no comment about whether he backs the [tag]takeover[/tag] attempt.

But there has been some negative reaction from abroad.

The EU’s Finnish presidency expressed “grave concern” at events, and the US called on Thais “to resolve their political differences in a [tag]peaceful manner[/tag]“.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he deeply regretted the fact that the coup had taken place, while New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark urged politicians and military to resolve their differences democratically.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the organisation supported changes of government through democratic means rather than by the barrel of a gun.

‘[tag]Unease[/tag]‘

Pressure had been growing on the prime minister to resign, including from groups close to King Bhumibol, following a political impasse in which April’s general election was declared invalid.

But the BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok reports that while many people wanted Mr Thaksin out of office, there will be unease about the way this has happened, and people will be looking to see whether the king has supported the coup.

It is the first coup attempt in 15 years in a country where they used to be commonplace. There were 17 of them between 1932 and 1991.

Opposition Senator Mechai Viravaidya welcomed Mr Thaksin’s departure, despite doubts about the methods used.

“I’m delighted he’s gone,” he said. “It would have been great if he had resigned voluntarily, but apparently he was too stubborn. But at least it’s better than an assassination.”

But government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee, speaking from New York, said he was confident the coup would fail .

Refer : BBC

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