Thai PM 'overthrown in army coup'

 

A faction of the Thai military led by the army chief says it has overthrown Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

Tanks surrounded the prime minister's offices and soldiers took them over, though it seems no shots were fired.

 

After announcing they had suspended parliament and the constitution, coup leaders went to meet the king.

 

A spokesman for Mr Thaksin, who is at the UN in New York, insisted the coup "could not succeed", and that the government was still in control.

 

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

The coup is so widely expected and I believe that this is for the best for Thailand

Darunee, Bangkok

 

The spokesman said it had not been decided when the prime minister would return home from the UN.

 

However, in a broadcast on all Thai television channels the leadership of the armed forces said it had taken control of Bangkok, suspended the constitution and parliament, declared nationwide martial law and ordered all troops to return to their bases.

 

"We ask for the co-operation of the public and ask your pardon for the inconvenience," the announcement said.

 

Retired Lieutenant-General Prapart Sakuntanak said the seizure would be temporary and power "returned to the people" soon.

 

Declaring themselves the "Council of Political Reform", the rebels said they were led by sacked military commander General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and declared loyalty to the king.

 

However, the BBC's Kate McGeown in Bangkok says King Bhumibol is held in high esteem by all Thais, and the declaration of loyalty does not necessarily imply that he backs the takeover attempt.

 

Our correspondent says low-level rumours of a possible coup have been circulating for weeks.

 

There has been pressure 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, says the BBC's correspondent Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

 

But it had been thought that Thailand was making progress towards holding another election later in the year, our correspondent says.

 

Political impasse

 

Witnesses said several hundred troops were posted at key points around Bangkok, including at government installations and major intersections.

 

Troops and guys dressed in Swat-style gear are strolling around

Russell Miles, Bangkok

 

BBC World, CNN and other international news channels were taken off the air, and Thai stations played out images of the royal family and patriotic songs.

 

Russell Miles emailed the BBC News website to say there were troops "dressed in Swat-style gear strolling around" near Government House, and "a tense, but fairly controlled atmosphere".

 

He said: "We saw a group of blokes bundling a cameraman and another chap into a van. We are taking photos, but not out in the open."

 

At the United Nations, where the annual General Assembly is under way, it was announced that the agenda had been changed to allow Mr Thaksin to address it in the coming hours.

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5361512.stm

I just watched the news and I'm worried about two friends who went to Bangkok the day before yesterday. One of them spent one year there and they both wanted to visit her family in Thailand again. Hope they're fine... :(