The news don't sound good now...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5362228.stm
Thailand's military tightens grip
Thai military leaders have begun consolidating their hold on power
after staging a coup while the prime minister was at the UN General
Assembly.
Martial law has been declared, and the coup leaders have announced
that regional commanders will take charge of areas outside the
capital, Bangkok.
Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin 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 Thaksin Shinawatra's policies
had created serious divisions.
"We have seized power. The constitution, the senate, the house of
representatives, the cabinet and the constitutional court have all
been terminated," he said.
"We agreed that the caretaker prime minister has caused an
unprecedented rift in society, widespread corruption, nepotism, and
interfered in independent agencies, 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 seize power to control the situation, to restore
normality and to create unity 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 patriotic songs.
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.
Declaration of loyalty
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 takeover 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 peaceful manner".
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.
'Unease'
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.
