BBC: King has endorsed Gen Sonthi as temporary leader

BBC: Thai coup leader unveils PM plans

Troops remain visible on Bangkok's streets
The leader of the military coup in Thailand has said a new prime minister will be named within two weeks.
Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin told a news conference that new elections would take place in a year's time, once a new constitution had been written.

A statement read on state television said Thailand's king had endorsed Gen Sonthi as temporary leader, although the monarch has not spoken in person.

Coup no surprise to Thai media

The media have been warned
The military coup in Thailand which ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came as no surprise to the country's media.

Commentators in some newspapers expressed the belief the writing had been on the wall since the political turmoil earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, TV stations broadcast a raft of decrees from the new rulers on everything from media cooperation to warnings against hoarding.

How Thaksin failed to see the coup coming remains a mystery

Columnist in Bangkok Post
Even before the coup was announced, the Thai-language paper Thai Rat had spoken of "the critical emergency situation in Bangkok", while Matichon noted that "the media expressed deep concern over the way he [Thaksin] manages this country and the way he abuses power".

The English-language Bangkok Post today publishes a large front-page black banner headline "Coup d'etat".

"How Thaksin failed to see the coup coming remains a mystery," says a columnist in the same paper.

"He underestimated the rift between his government and the military," the columnist quotes a political science professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University as saying.

"Thaksin has been pushing his luck with General Sonthi for weeks, first blaming an alleged assassination attempt against him on the military and then tampering with the military's annual reshuffle."

'Necessary evil'

A headline in The Nation proclaims: "Months of rumours come true: Finally, it had come down to a military showdown".

"To many people the military coup against Thaksin may be a necessary evil," says a commentary in the same paper.

"The coupmakers are luckier than those before them in that much of society now believes they have done the wrong thing for the right reason.

"But the perception that this is something done in good faith will be extremely fragile. Public trust in power in the hands of men with guns can last as long as the smoke that follows when a shot is fired," The Nation warns.

It says "a fuming Thaksin had realised all along that his battle against the Thai elite would boil down to this military confrontation".

It is prohibited to hoard goods or increase the prices of goods

Decree read out on Thai TV
The Chiang Mai website CityLife carries the headline: "A peaceful military coup", while the business paper Business Day remarks on what a difference a day makes.

"On Tuesday, there was no national holiday on most Bangkokians' calendars and personal diaries," the paper writes, referring to the subsequent military decree making Wednesday a national holiday.

The Thai-language paper The Manager publishes a picture of two young children sitting between soldiers on a military vehicle, with one making the V for Victory sign.

Military decrees

It was not long before Thais were subject to a barrage of military decrees broadcast on Thai television.

"It is prohibited to hoard goods or increase the prices of goods of all categories," said one decree, warning that violators would be "liable to imprisonment of not more than two years or a fine of not more than 400,000 baht ($10,700) or both".

Another decree said the new rulers were "seeking cooperation from the mass media... in order to create unity within the nation".

Yet another banned "any political gathering of more than five persons at any place" on pain of up to six months imprisonment and 10,000 baht ($268) fine.

How Thaksin failed to see the coup coming remains a mystery
.

There is no doubt that Thaksin new there would be a coup but it was a matter of when not if.

In the five days of trading before the announcement yesterday my company ( banking & investments) quite legally moved out of the country on the instructions of Thai clients, some of who were in the Thaksin administration, block sums well in excess of 10million Baht per transaction. That is to say some clients moved multiple amounts of 10million Baht to various accounts outside of Thailand.

Moving blocks of 10M for investments is not unusual but it is significant when so many high profile Thais do it almost in unison.

These transaction were neither coincidental nor made on a whim but based on the need to take precautions for when the administration fell.

No doubt Mr T had already secured his transfer of funds many months ago.

BBC: Thai coup leader unveils PM plans
A statement read on state television said Thailand's king had endorsed Gen Sonthi as temporary leader, although the monarch has not spoken in person.

Bangkok Post Breaking news, late afternoon/evening Thai time.

Developments in the military coup d'etat:
(all times Thailand ):
bangkokpost.com

20:17
His Majesty the King officially endorses appointment of coup council of administrative reform with Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin as head.

18:00
Troops arrest ex-Thai Rak Thai MP Thawee Kraikhupt for protesting coup at Democracy Monument. Hunger striker Chalard Worachat for gathering more than 5 people.

15:35
Administrative Reform Council leader General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin: Suvarnabhumi Airport will be opened as scheduled, no plan to seize Thaksin's assets, no plan to seize Shin shares back from Temasek.

15:29
Administrative Reform Council leader General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin: Council will be in power for 2 weeks during which a constitution will be drafted and a PM appointed. An election will then be held within one year.

15:18
Ousted PM Thaksin arrives in London from New York for family reunion. No further word on his future.

14:07
Troops close northern Thai borders with both Laos and Burma, and forbid all overland travel from those countries. International airports open as normal.

14:07
Indonesia issues official travel warning advising citizens to delay or cancel all travel to Thailand.

12:14
Coup authorities demand "cooperation" of mass media - IT ministry authorised to check, censor information that affects the council work.

11:26
Thai ambassador in Washington says deposed PM Thaksin preparing to leave United States. It appears he will go to London, where he has a home.

11:19
Coup authorities deny appointment of Surayudh Chulanont as PM - say that the country will not have a PM for now - Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin has premier's power