09-20-2006, 10:54 PM
<b>Thai coup leader to install new PM in 2 weeks</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Thailand's military coup leaders will choose a new prime minister within two weeks and step back from power, army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said on Wednesday.
But, speaking less than 24 hours after h<b>e led a bloodless coup to oust billionaire Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra</b>, Sonthi said it would take a year to produce a new constitution leading to a fresh general election.
The military leadership was poring over candidates who loved "democracy and constitutional monarchy" to replace Thaksin, ousted on Tuesday as he attended the United Nations in New York.
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Concerns about a conflict or even a counter-coup by Thaksin's supporters were dampened by news that Thaksin's main deputy, Chidchai Vanasatidya, had been "invited to stay" at Army Headquarters.
Thaksin was welcome to return to his homeland, Sonthi said.
"Thaksin is a Thai and a fellow countryman and there will be no problem should he decide to return," he said.
<b>Thaksin had chartered a Russian plane to fly him and his entourage from New York to London, where one of his daughters was studying</b>, a reporter traveling with him said.
<b>The military said the coup was necessary to institute reforms to resolve a political stalemate that pitted Thaksin against the political old guard and street campaigners, who accused him of subverting democracy for his family and friends in big business</b>.
Thaksin argued he was democracy's defender against opponents using unconstitutional means.
Late on Tuesday, <b>television showed the armed forces chiefs heading in a motorcade to the palace to report to revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, images likely to dampen any agitation in the countryside by associating the coup with the crown.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Same can happen in Nepal.
But, speaking less than 24 hours after h<b>e led a bloodless coup to oust billionaire Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra</b>, Sonthi said it would take a year to produce a new constitution leading to a fresh general election.
The military leadership was poring over candidates who loved "democracy and constitutional monarchy" to replace Thaksin, ousted on Tuesday as he attended the United Nations in New York.
..................
Concerns about a conflict or even a counter-coup by Thaksin's supporters were dampened by news that Thaksin's main deputy, Chidchai Vanasatidya, had been "invited to stay" at Army Headquarters.
Thaksin was welcome to return to his homeland, Sonthi said.
"Thaksin is a Thai and a fellow countryman and there will be no problem should he decide to return," he said.
<b>Thaksin had chartered a Russian plane to fly him and his entourage from New York to London, where one of his daughters was studying</b>, a reporter traveling with him said.
<b>The military said the coup was necessary to institute reforms to resolve a political stalemate that pitted Thaksin against the political old guard and street campaigners, who accused him of subverting democracy for his family and friends in big business</b>.
Thaksin argued he was democracy's defender against opponents using unconstitutional means.
Late on Tuesday, <b>television showed the armed forces chiefs heading in a motorcade to the palace to report to revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, images likely to dampen any agitation in the countryside by associating the coup with the crown.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Same can happen in Nepal.