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9/22/2006

A New Era for Thailand

The Coup as it unfolds

First Statement from the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy

There has been social division like never before. Each side has been trying to conquer another with all possible means and the situation tends to intensify with growing doubts on the administration amid widespread reported corruption.
State units and independent organisations have been politically meddled, not able to deliver their services as specified in the Constitution.

The administration is also usually bordering on "lest majest" actions against the revered King. Despite attempts from social units for compromises, there is no way to end the conflicts.

The revolution body thus needs to seize power. We have no intention to rule but to return the power to the people as soon as possible, to preserve peace and honour the King who is the most revered to all Thais. - The Nation, Bangkok

Administrative Reform Council leader Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin told foreign diplomats that a civilian government would be appointed to run the country within two weeks and a general election could be carried out by October next year. - The Nation, Bangkok


Photo: 2bangkok.com

Sonthi outsmarted Thaksin at the eleventh hour

Had Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin not moved as fast as he did to stage a coup on Tuesday, Thaksin Shinawatra would have launched his own coup a day later. Don't be fooled by Thaksin's claim that he stands for democracy.

As the political crisis developed to the point of no return concerning whether Thaksin should stay or be booted out, General Sonthi had no choice but to swallow his words about the days of military coups being over. He had been very reluctant to resort to a coup, as he was known not to have any political ambitions. Moreover, he was not known to be an enemy of Thaksin. Although General Sonthi has a good relationship with both Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda and Privy Council member General Surayuth Chulanont, he came to power partly due to a political compromise struck with Thaksin.

However, an intelligence report reached General Sonthi's camp stating that there would be bloodshed on Wednesday. The People's Alliance for Democracy had planned to hold a political rally that day at the Royal Plaza in order to force Thaksin out of politics. Had that rally taken place, there would have been clashes between the People's Alliance for Democracy and Thaksin's supporters and blood would have been spilt on Rajdamnoen Avenue. If only Thaksin had promised that he would take a break from politics and allow a period of political reforms to take place, the PAD and other branches of the anti-Thaksin movement would have declared victory. All political confrontations would have subsided. Thaksin could have run for office once the Constitution was amended, and he would have been returned to the premier's post, probably in the latter part of next year.

However, Thaksin never considered taking a break from power. Again, don't be fooled by his "taking a break" story - the idea never crossed his mind.

The General Sonthi camp learned that during the PAD rally, Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Newin Chidchob were planning to rally their supporters to create an ugly scene at the Royal Plaza. During the ensuing commotion, there would be human casualties. Thaksin would then have stepped in and declared a state of emergency, placing the country under martial law.

Now you can understand why he had time to prepare his state of emergency statement and read it at 9.20pm on Channel 9 from his New York hotel room. You can also understand why Yongyuth and Newin are now at the top of this country's most-wanted list and have surrendered themselves to the CDRM for interrogation.

Once the situation was under his complete control, Thaksin had planned to fly back yesterday in order to declare victory over anti-democratic elements in society. He had a military reshuffle list in hand that would have further consolidated his control over the military. With that accomplished, everything would have been easy. Virtually all institutions in the country would have been under his directive.

From his New York hotel, Thaksin was preparing to deliver an address at the UN Assembly. The room instead turned out to be the headquarters from which he attempted to launch a counter-coup and negotiate a political settlement. In New York, he planned to recruit top-notch American political consultants to advise him on his political campaign for the next election, which would have been pushed back from October 15 to some time in November.

Thaksin's talk of taking a break from politics was simply lip service. He told the Thai public he would decide whether to take a break from politics only after his Thai Rak Thai went to the Election Commission to register as candidates. This means Thaksin would have liked His Majesty the King to endorse a new election date before he made his decision.

Members of the Thai elite and the PAD, however, would not allow this to happen. If Thaksin were to run in the next election, he would have won. With 12 million votes or so, he would have claimed a democratic majority and he also would have stayed on as prime minister. After that he could rewrite Thai history by turning Thailand into his own regime.

General Sonthi had to act fast to head off Thaksin's coup. He staged a military coup on Tuesday, a day before the bloodshed was set to take place. He and Thaksin did have a telephone conversation on Tuesday evening, with Thaksin trying to buy time and negotiate a settlement.

He told General Sonthi that if he kept his cool, Thaksin would take a break from politics. He asked Sonthi to wait until he returned from New York so that the two could talk things out and said that he would reschedule his return flight to Bangkok to Wednesday, instead of yesterday as he had planned.

General Sonthi was polite, but told him that he had no choice, that he had to stage the coup.

In the meantime, Thaksin was checking on his military allies, who had control of Bangkok, for the most part. He remained certain that in a military power play, he could still emerge the victor. Maj-General Prin Suwannathat, commander of the First Infantry Brigade, is a close ally of Thaksin and he holds the most powerful military post in Bangkok. The commanders of the Air Force and the Navy are also good friends of Thaksin.

General Sonthi had the support of Lt-General Saphrang Kalayanamit of the Third Army, who had been outspoken in his anti-Thaksin remarks. The Third Army is in charge of all military operations in the North. Another key ally of Gen Sonthi is Lt-General Anupong Phaochinda of the First Infantry Division in Bangkok. Maj-General Sanit Prommas, the commander of the Second Cavalry Brigade, also came to play an important role in the power play to seize the capital.

Troops from Prachin Buri and Lop Buri were also mobilised to the capital to assist in the coup, the decisive outcome of which was ironically the victory of thaharn ban nok (upcountry military).

As it turned out, all of Thaksin's military allies, most notably Maj-General Prin, had been marked out - they could not move. General Ruengroj Mahasaranont, the supreme commander and a Thaksin ally, was to look after Bangkok once Thaksin had declared martial law. He too was subdued. Chidchai Vanasatidya and Prommin Lertsuridej were unable to launch any sort of counter effort.

Thaksin's wife Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra was supposed to take a 12am flight to Singapore on Tuesday night. She quickly changed her flight to 9pm. Well, Gen Sonthi had to let her off the hook.

Twenty-five minutes later, knowing that his wife was safely on an aircraft bound for Singapore, Thaksin read out his state of emergency address from his New York hotel room, effectively sacking General Sonthi .

But an hour later, General Sonthi declared a counter-coup to overthrow the Thaksin regime and tear up the Constitution.

The rest is history.

Thanong Khanthong

The Nation

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9/21/2006

Thailand's "smooth as silk" coup hits no turbulence

By Peter Janssen, dpa

Bangkok (dpa) - Thailand has arguably taken coup-making to new heights of non-violence, judging by the peaceful response to Tuesday's bloodless blitzkrieg that toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power and put a junta in command of the kingdom.

Thai Army Commander-in-Chief Sonthi Boonyaratklin brought troops and tanks into Bangkok Tuesday night and took over the country without firing a shot, putting a junta in power that has promised to hand over the reins of government to a cabinet of appointed civilians within two weeks and hold a general election within a year.

"I have seen 15 coups myself in the past 30 years and this was the easiest one yet," said Luzi Matzig, a long time resident in Thailand who runs Asia Travels, a tour agency. "A smooth-as-silk kind of coup," quipped Matzig, playing on Thailand's national airline's advertising slogan "THAI - Smooth as Silk."

By Thursday most of the tanks had been removed from the capital and the remaining soldiers posted at shopping malls and intersections had to contend with mobs of tourists trying to have their photos taken with the helmeted heroes, rather than irate Thaksin supporters.

According to an opinion survey conducted by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, some 82 per cent of the people polled in Bangkok were in favour of the coup and, even more surprising, 86 per cent supported it in the provinces.

Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party has won the past three elections with handsome majorities, so one wonders where all those supporters have gone in the aftermath of the coup.

Some, obviously, have gone abroad.

Thaksin's most steadfast supporter, his wife Pojaman, took a flight to Singapore on Tuesday night accompanied by their son Panthongtae and youngest daughter Paethongtarn. The family has reportedly been reunited in London, where Thaksin arrived Wednesday from New York and where his eldest daughter Pimthongta is studying.

They are all staying in an apartment building that Thaksin, a billionaire, recently bought in London.

Several of Thaksin's political allies, such as former agriculture minister Sudarat Keyuraphan and former finance minister Somkid Jatusripitak are also abroad, currently in France.

Other close allies are under army detention in Bangkok, such as former deputy premier Chidchai Vanasatidya and close ally Prommin Lertsuidej. Newin Chidchob and Yongyudh Tiyapairat, two former Thaksin advisors, turned themselves in to the Administrative Reform Council, as the junta has styled itself, on Thursday.

But what about the 19 million Thais who voted for the Thai Rak Thai in the general election of February, last year?

Thaksin and his TRT were most popular in Thailand's northern and northeastern provinces, where the majority of the country's rural poor reside.

There are several practical reasons why these provincial supporters may be keeping mum. For starters, the Administrative Reform Council has yet to lift martial law, which prohibits public gatherings of more than five people.

Secondly, any organized protest would require money to transport demonstrators from the countryside to the capital, and with Thaksin out of the country and his TRT in disarray, they are no longer in the rent-a-crowd business.

Poor farmers are both too poor and too busy to spend money on demonstrations themselves.

The lack of pro-Thaksin uprisings in the countryside may also shed light on the nature of the ousted premier's past popularity.

"If you have money in Thailand you are popular, and Thaksin gave away a lot of money," said Kraisak Choonhavan, a former senator and son of former prime minister who was similarly popular in the impoverished north-east.

"My father's popularity stemmed from the fact that when he had rallies he paid people to come," acknowledged Kraisak. "Thaksin was no different."

The mood of Thailand's rural voters may also been affected by the months of anti-Thaksin protests this year that have exposed many of Thaksin's dubious business deals and controversial governance style.

"Most northeasterners still support Thai Rak Thai but they think Thaksin should have quit. He has failed to clear up many of the accusations against him," said Paiboon Paengsoi, a TRT supporter from Khon Kaen province.

Thaksin not only won the animosity of Bangkok's middle class this year, he also came under heavy criticism from the country's elite, including former premier Prem Tinsulanonda, who now heads the Privy Council of Thailand's much-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Prem in several public speeches this year questioned Thaksin's moral qualifications to rule and in one speech reminded the military that their leader was the king, not an elected prime minister.

General Sonthi, in justifying his Tuesday coup, included Thaksin's efforts to undermine the monarchy. The junta was quick to get a royal endorsement of their temporary government Wednesday night, although as head of state, King Bhumibol is duty-bound to endorse all new governments.

When asked to explain the overwhelming support for Tuesday's coup, despite Thaksin's one-time popularity, senior TRT member and former government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair, noted, "Thailand is a king-centric country."

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9/19/2006

Coup as it unfolds

CHRONOLOGY

The Nation monitors the events that led to the coup as well as events after it as follows:

September 19

8.00 am Thaksin Shinawatra calls an urgent teleconference with all armed forces' commanders at Government House, but none attends.

Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkarin, the army chief, later says the meeting is hastily called. Rumor then spread around the capital and the stock market that a coup de tat is under way.

12.00 am After finishing the webcamera teleconference with Thaksin, who is New York, several Cabinet members check with reporters if there would really be a coup.

6.30 pm The Army's special forces from Lopburi move into Bangkok. Gen Prem Tinnasulalonda, president of Privy Council, has an audience with HM the King, reportedly on a meritmaking ceremony for ML Bau Kittiyakala.

6.55 pm Thai News Agency reports that Thaksin will return to Bangkok on Thursday, instead of Friday.

8.00 pm 191 police receive M16 rifles to prepare for an antiriot assignment.

9.00 pm The Army'[s special forces from Lopburi arrive at the Army's Bangkok headquarters.

Web surfers post messages on Pantip.com asking if there is a coup de tat.

9.10 pm The armyowned TV Channel 5's mobile TV broadcast unit arrives at the Army's Bangkok headquarters.

9.30 pm TV channel 5 cancels regular programming and puts on air royallyauthored songs.

Reporters at Government House say situation is normal, but rumour was rife that deputy premier Pol Gen Chidchai Vanasatit and defence minister Gen Thammarak Isarangkun have been under custody.

Panthongthae, Thaksin's son, reportedly has left Thailand for the UK.

9.40 pm Police commandos arrive Baan Chansongra, Thaksin's residence.

10.00 pm Army tanks take position at Bangkok Makkawan Rangsan Bridge and Rajdamnern Avenue.

10.10 pm CNN reports Bangkok situation

10.20pm Thaksin declares a state of emergency via the phone from New York. He also issues two orders, transferring en Sondhi from the post of army chief to the PM's Office, and naming Gen Rungroj Mahasaranond as the officer in charge of the crisis.

11pm "The Administrative Reform Council" (ARC) issues a first statement on TV network, saying the armed forces and national police have peacefully seized control of Bangkok and surrounding areas. Soldier seize the Shinawatra Building, iTV television stationand Thaksin's residence.

11.15pm Soldiers put steel barricades at Sri Ayudha and Rajdamnoen Roads

11.50pm ARC issues the second statement explaining the reasons for the coup d'etat, citing national disunity and rampant corruption. ARC says it plans to return power quickly to the people

12.39am ARC issues third statement, nullifying the constitution, the caretaker Cabinet and the Constitutional Court.

September 20

1: 24 am The ARC issues its fourth announcement saying that while there is no prime minister, the power of the PM will belong to the ARC chief.  The statement says where there are no ministers, the permanent secretaries will take charge of their respective ministries.

8:00 am ARC spokesman announces Gen Sonthi will make announcement on TVs at 9 am.  The spokesman also announces that TV stations can resume their normal programmes but most continue to relay signals from Channel 5 except iTV, which briefly airs its morning news programme.

8:50 am: Permanent officials and rectors of universities start arriving at the Army headquarters to report themselves to the ARC. Khunying Jaruvan Mainthaka, the auditor-general, flashes a thumb-up to reporters.

9:16 am Sonthi holds a press conference. The first part of his statement is similar to the first statement of the ARC. He says the ARC has to seize power to solve the country's problems caused by the Thaksin admnistration.

Sonthi appears on TV along with the police chief and commanders of other armed forces in the four-minute announcement.

After Sonthi finishes reading the statement, a spokeswoman announces that the TV pool is disbanded and TV stations resume normal programmes.

9:50 am A source in New York tells a radio programme that Thaksin is considering whether to go to England or not.

10:00 am Sondhi Limthongkul, a decision maker of the People's Alliance for Democracy, announces that the planned rally in the evening is cancelled.  Sondhi also praises the army chief for staging the coup.

10:15 am Chamlong Srimuang, a decision maker of the PAD, passes the front of the army head office in a taxi. People give him an applaud as the taxi passes by.

10:40 am A spokesman of the ARC announces its fifth statement on TV pool that AMC invites students to take part in political reform. The spokesman says Gen Sonthi invites students to send suggestions on political reform to the ARC.

10:42 am A spokesman reads the sixth announcement of the ARC that the ARC realises the problem of farmers and is considering how to help them so they should not demonstrate now.

10:45 am An ARC spokeswoman reads the seventh announcement of the ARC that the political gathering of more than five people is banned.

The ARC spokeswoman also read the ninth announcement of the ARC that the ARC will take drastic action against any trader who hoards goods.

The spokesman announces the ninth statement of the ARC that the ARC will adhere to treaties with the United Nations and other international organisations as well as will promote and maintain good relations with other countries.

10:46 am An ARC reads the tenth announcement of the ARC that the ARC seeks cooperation from the mass media to present accurate news and information to the public.

10:52 am An ARC spokesman reads an order of ARC leader Gen Sonthi for the Information and Communication Technology Ministry to check and censor any type of information dissemination that could affect the works of the ARC.

10:58 am The ARC issues its 11th announcement to appoint members of the council as following:

1 Supreme Commander Gen Ruangroj Mahasaranon becomes chief adviser of the ARC.

2 Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin becomes president of the ARC.

3 Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm Sathiraphan Keyanon becomes first vice president of ARC.

4 Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Chalit Pookpasuk becomes second vice president of ARC.

5 Police Commissioner-General Pol Lt Gen Kowit Wattana becomes third vice president of the ARC

6 National Security Council secretary-general Gen Winai Phatthiyakul becomes secretary-general of the ARC.

1:00 pm Chalard Worachat and several other people are arrested for gathering in a group of more than five people.

1:15 pm Former Thai Rak Thai MP Surapol Kiartchaiyakorn is seen taking away from the Chiang Mai Airport by soldiers on a military vehicle.

1:30 pm Deputy Police Commissioner-General Pol Col Priewphan Damapong, a brother-in-law of Thaksin Shinawatra, reports himself to the national police chief in line with the coup maker's order.

2:00 pm ARC leader Gen Sonthi told foreign diplomats an hour ago that a civilian government would be appointed to run the country within two weeks.

2:30 pm Thawee Kraikupti, former Thai Rak Thai MP, protest against the coup at the Democracy Monument. He is later taken away by soldiers.

3:00 pm A military source say 15 trucks of fully-armed soldiers from the Pawai Camp head to Bangkok.

Sonthi answers reporters' questions at a press conference. He tells reporters that an interim constitution will be drafted in two weeks. After which a Cabinet will be formed to spend another year to draft a new constitution.

Sonthi says the new Election Commission has been dissolved along with the abolition of the Constitution.

4:55 pm ARC issues an announcement that government agencies, state enterprises, schools, banks and the Stock Exchange of Thailand would be open on Thursday.

6:00 pm About 100  soldiers from the 26th Cavalry Battalion in Phechabun arrive at Pathum Thani in ten trucks and ten military trucks. They travel on Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road and reach a road check point in Pathum Thani manned by seven tanks. after briefly talking to offices at the checkpoints, the 10 tanks and 10 trucks move on to Bangkok.

7:00 pm A spokesman announces that His Majesty the King has issued a royal command to appoint Sonthi as the ARC president.

7: 04 pm The ARC issues its seventh order to divide itself into four divisions as part of responsibility sharing. The four divisions are the ARC, the secretariat, the advisory division and special affairs division.

7:10 pm The ARC issues an order to maintain the status of Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka as the auditor-general.

The order removes the State Audit Commission but maintains Jaruvan's status as well as maintaining the provision of the SAC Act.

7:29 pm A spokesman of the ARC announces that the ARC has not imposed curfew and the people can live their life as usal.

9:45 pm The ARC announces an order for former Natural Resource and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat and former PM's Office Minister Newin Chidchop to report themselves at the army head office at noon on Thursday.

10 pm The ARC issues its 13th statement to maintain the status of the new Election Commission. The ARC statement says the EC ACT would continue to be effective so that the new EC could organize election of local administrations and councils.

September 21

9:11 am AFP reports from Singapore that the Thai baht opens stronger in Asian trade, recovering much of the ground lost Wednesday. The baht was is at 37.5150 to the dollar, up sharply from 37.68 on Wednesday.

10:35 am Soldiers arrive at the house of former natural resources and environment minister Yongyuth Tiyapairaj in Chiang Rai's Mae Chan district to try to locate him. But the house is closed and he is not found there.

11:00 am The People's Alliance for Democracy announces it ceases to exist after its goal to see the Thaksin regime toppled has been accomplished.

11:45 am Former PM's Office Minister Newin Chichob reports himself to the Administrative Reform Council. He arrives at the Army headquarters in a car and lowers his car's window to greet reporters but he is greeted back with boos by people there.

People shouts "Dictator" and "Corruptor".

1:00 pm former natural resources and environment minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat to reports himself to ARC.

1:40 pm Newn's car speeds out of the Army head office but it is not known whether Newin is inside the car or not.

2:00 pm Newin confirms with a Nation reporter on mobile phone that he has been detained by the ARC.

2:25 pm Ousted deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak returns from France. He tells reporters that he has not yet decided about his political future.

3:40pm Former deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam arrives at the head office of the coup makers, which now call itself official in English as the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM).

3:45 pm Cabinet secretary-general Borwornsak Uwanno comes to the CDRM head office at the Army headquarters.

4:00 pm Ousted deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai returns from the United States. He thanks CDRM for still supporting him for the post of UN secretary-general.

4:20 pm The CDRM issues its 14th announcement to maintain status of the Parliament ombudsmen by reviving the Parliament Ombudsmen Act.

The CDRM also issues its 15th announcement to maintain the status of the Political Parties Act. The announcement adds that new political parties could be registered until further announcement by the council.

The announcement states that current political parties will not be dissolved but they cannot hold any political activity until further announcement by the CDRM.

7:50 pm CDRM issues its 16th announcement to give itself parliament role. It says it will function as parliament while there are no House of Representatives and Senate.

9:45 pm CDRM issues its 11th order to transfer four senior officers to inactive posts at PM's Ministry Office.

They are Pol General Jumphol Manmai, chief of National Intelligence Agency, Pol Maj General Peeraphan Premputi, permanent secretary of the PM's Office, Pol General Phreophan Damapongse, a deputy national police chief and a brother-in-law of Thaksin, and Pol Lt General Chalor Choowong, an asssitant national police chief.

10:00pm CDRM issues its 12th order to appoint Lt Gen Waipoj Srinual, commander of the Internal Security Operations Command, as director of the National Intelligence Agency.

10:33 pm AFP reports that The United States is reviewing its aid to Thailand due to the coup.

September 22

9:30 pm Sonthi enters a ceremony to receive a royal command to be officially endorsed as the president of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy. The ceremony is broadcast on TV pool at noon.

1:30 pm CDRM issues order No 18 to amend the National Police Act to rid of politicians of the police professional regulating body.

The order appoints the police commissioner-general as chairman of the Police Civil Services Commission, instead of the prime minister.

Continue to The Nation, Bangkok for more Updates

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