Asia-Pacific

Thai coup leader to be acting PM

(AP)
Updated: 2006-09-20 21:27

The International Monetary Fund, which bailed Thailand and some of its neighbors out of a financial crisis in the late 1990s, was closely watching the situation but believed the region would be little affected, said the IMF's chief, Rodrigo de Rato.

"Thailand's economy is fundamentally strong," de Rato said.

Nearly 20 tanks - their machine gun barrels festooned with ribbons in the royal color, yellow - had blocked off the Royal Palace, Royal Plaza, army headquarters and Thaksin's office at Government House.

The tanks began shifting Wednesday afternoon from positions taken in downtown Bangkok. It was not immediately clear whether the tanks were withdrawing, or merely changing positions. Government public relations officials said they could not immediately comment.

Asked whether there would be moves to confiscate Thaksin's vast assets, Sondhi said that "those who have committed wrongdoings have to be prosecuted according to the law." He did not elaborate.

The Nation newspaper in Bangkok said several senior government officials and others close to Thaksin had been arrested, their fates unknown.

It said they included Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit and Supreme Military Commander Gen. Ruengroj Maharsaranond.

Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, one of Thaksin's closest political associates, fled to Paris with her family, it said.

The European Union condemned the coup and demanded a return to a "democratically elected" government.

The US State Department said it was uneasy about the military takeover and hopes "the Thai people will resolve their political differences in accord with democratic principles and the rule of law."

The US Embassy, in an e-mail to its citizens living in Thailand, said while there had been no reports of violence, Americans should "monitor the situation closely, avoid any large gatherings and exercise discretion when moving about the city."

"At this point, we are not advising Americans to leave Thailand; however, Americans planning to travel to Thailand may wish to carefully consider their options before traveling until the situation becomes clearer," the e-mail read.

Britain told its citizens living in Thailand to stay in their homes, while Japan, Australia and Canada advised citizens to be extremely careful in the Thai capital.

Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon before entering politics, handily won three general elections since coming to power in 2001 and garnered great support among the rural poor for his populist policies.

But he alienated the urban middle class, intellectuals and pro-democracy activists. They began mass street demonstrations late last year, charging him with abuse of power, corruption and emasculation of the country's democratic institutions, including media that were once among Asia's freest.

The bloodless coup was the first overt military intervention in the Thai political scene since 1991, when Suchinda Kraprayoon, a military general, toppled a civilian government in a bloodless takeover. He was ousted in 1992 following street demonstrations.