World leaders voice concern

As Thai and foreign tourists posed with tanks dispatched to the streets by coup leaders, the international community expressed concern yesterday about the bloodless takeover.

Foreign officials described the move as a step backwards and urged Thailand to return to democracy.

Coup leader, Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, in a bid to boost confidence, met with Bangkok-based diplomats and local and international media to explain the need for the coup.

Sonthi met with envoys and the press in back-to-back sessions at the Royal Thai Army headquarters. He promised to relinquish power to democratically elected representatives as soon as possible.

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

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said coup was "not a practice to be encouraged".

"We as an organisation have always supported governmental changes through democratic means, through the ballot box," Annan told CNN. "Over the past decade or so they have established a solid democracy and institutions under the leadership of the King. And I'm sure they will be able to restore that institution and go back to a democratic system as soon as possible," Annan said.

Australia and New Zealand used stronger language, with Canberra saying it was concerned to see democracy "destroyed", and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark saying her country "condemns" the coup.

Japan urged efforts to quickly restore democracy here, where many leading Japanese businesses have factories and affiliates.

China, which Thaksin has tried hard to build stronger relations with for strategic and diplomatic reasons, brushed off the coup as an internal affair and wished the country "harmony and prosperity".

"It's Thailand's own internal affair. China has consistently upheld the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs," the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

"China and Thailand are friendly neighbours. We wish Thailand harmony and prosperity...and we hope for the continued development of friendly bilateral relations."

Yesterday, Indonesia expressed concern following the coup, saying it hoped democratic principles would be enforced.

"The Indonesian government is closely following the developments in Thailand with concern," Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda said in a statement issued from New York, where he was attending the UN General Assembly.

"As a fellow member state of Asean, the Indonesian government hopes that the democratic principles, important elements in the Asean community that have been agreed together, will remain enforced," Hasan said.

He also expressed hope that the political crisis could be settled soon through democratic means.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi voiced shock over the coup and said he hoped democratic rule would quickly be restored, the state media said.

"I am really shocked. I didn't expect a coup would have taken place in Thailand," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency late on Tuesday in New York, while at the UN General Assembly.

The Malaysian premier hoped a democratically elected government would be restored soon.

The Philippines expressed concern over the coup and urged Thais to resolve "internal" issues peacefully.

Philippine ambassador to Bangkok, Antonio Rodriguez, said the coup was an "internal political issue" and "we should wait for the crisis to be resolved before we issue a statement."

He said over the local broadcaster ABS-CBN that the main concern of the Philippines, a fellow member of Asean, was for the issue to be "resolved peacefully and that nothing happens to peace-loving people in Thailand".

"The influence of the (Thai) King is all-encompassing. I don't think the Thais will want to displease him by shooting at each other."

Rodriguez said he was unaware if Arroyo had been in touch with Thaksin since the events of Tuesday night. He said the 7,000 or so Filipinos living in Thailand were safe. Most of them are teachers, UN workers, entertainers or businessmen.

The Nation, Agencies

Disappointed US condemns Thai coup

WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday condemned the coup in Thailand which ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and called for a return to civilian rule "as quickly as possible."

In its first detailed reaction to Tuesday's dramatic uprising, Washington said there was no justification for a coup, but stopped short of calling for the restoration of Thaksin or his scandal-tainted government.

"There's no justification for a military coup in Thailand or in any place else," said State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey.

"We certainly are extremely disappointed by this action. It's a step backward for democracy in Thailand.

"We want to see a resolution of this situation in accordance with the rule of law and in accordance with democratic procedures -- that certainly means the restoration of civilian rule in Thailand as quickly as possible."

Asked why Washington was not calling for the return of Thaksin, Casey said: "I think the facts on the ground are that a coup has happened; certainly we wish that had not occurred in the first place."

"The important thing now is that we move forward to make sure that those who have engaged in this activity live up to their public commitments, and again those commitments are to restore democracy as quickly as possible."

Agence France-Presse

US pressures Thai coup leaders

By Nopporn Wong-Anan in Bangkok

September 21, 2006 08:10am

THAILAND'S military coup leaders faced international calls for a swift return to democracy today, after vowing to choose a new prime minister within two weeks to replace ousted Thaksin Shinawatra.

Speaking less than 24 hours after leading a bloodless coup to oust the billionaire premier, army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said it would take a year to produce a new constitution leading to a fresh general election.

The military leadership said it was looking at civilian candidates to replace Mr Thaksin, who arrived in London this morning from New York where he had been attending the U.N. General Assembly.

"We have two weeks. After two weeks, we step out," said Gen Sonthi, whose military "Political Reform Council" was legitimised by a royal proclamation.

The US urged a quick restoration of democracy, and warned that only then would it be willing to move forward on a free trade pact. The trade deal has been under negotiation for more than two years.

"We're disappointed in the coup. We hope those who mounted it will make good and make good swiftly on their promises to restore democracy," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said: "In light of this coup, there are aspects of our relationship that we are going to have to review," without elaborating.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said:"It's not for us to say that he (Mr Thaksin) should be reinstalled. We have called for a return to democratic government."

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is following with concern developments in Thailand and "appeals for a prompt return to civilian, democratic rule and the holding of new elections as quickly as possible," his spokesman said in New York.

Mr Thaksin, wearing a dark suit and red tie, put his hands together in a traditional greeting as he left a Thai Airways plane at London's Gatwick Airport.

British officials said Mr Thaksin's decision to travel to London had no political significance and noted that he had relatives in Britain.

In Thailand, the royal proclamation declared: "The general public is requested to remain calm and all civil servants and state officials to follow instructions issued by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin."

The military said it acted because there was no other way out of a protracted political crisis that pitted Mr Thaksin against the political old guard and street campaigners, who accused him of subverting democracy for his family and friends in business.

Gen Sonthi told a news conference a new cabinet would form a special committee to draw up a new constitution and submit it to a referendum, after which new elections could be held.

"It will take a year to draft a new constitution," he said.

Political reform is considered essential by Mr Thaksin's foes to allow, they say, independent state agencies such as the election commission to be purged of his allies.

Not a shot was fired in the coup and the streets of Bangkok were quiet with very little military presence except around Government House and nearby army headquarters.

"There is no threat to tourists," a Thomas Cook spokesman in Germany said of a country which draws about 12 million visitors a year.

Concerns of conflict or even a counter-coup by Mr Thaksin's supporters appeared to evaporate and Gen Sonthi invited the ousted leader to return, promising his assets would not be touched.

"Thaksin is a Thai and a fellow countryman and there will be no problem should he decide to return. We are like brothers," said Gen Sonthi, mostly Buddhist Thailand's first Muslim army chief.

National Police Chief Kowit Wattana said Mr Thaksin would not face any new probes but would have to answer cases already filed, including charges of election fraud.

Leaders around the world expressed shock and disappointment at the sudden overthrow of Mr Thaksin, whose huge popularity in the countryside gave him two landslide election wins.

The US, EU, Australia and New Zealand condemned as undemocratic Thailand's first coup in 15 years but its 18th since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

But analysts said the coup might prove a step forward if it cleared the way out of what many saw as an intractable political deadlock threatening the stability of the nation.

"This coup will be different," said Somjai Phagapasvivat of Bangkok's Thammasat University. "Before, it was done in the interests of the military. This time, it was a necessary pre-emptive strike given the violent polarisation of Thai society."

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