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Thai junta bans local political activity

By RUNGRAWEE C. PINYORAT, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 41 minutes ago

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thailand's military council on Sunday issued new orders intended to stave off any possible opposition to their coup, banning political activities at the district and provincial levels.

The military, which seized power from elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup on Tuesday, has been restricting freedom of assembly and pressuring the media into self-censorship.

One of the first actions taken after the military sent tanks rolling into the capital on the night of Sept. 19 was to declare martial law across the country, which barred public gatherings of more than five people. It has also called on the media to exercise self-censorship.

The latest order — announced on local television stations Sunday night — calls for "all organizations to stop their activities and political gathering until the situation returns to normal."

The military said that there had been "movements" of politicians at the district and provincial levels both in favor and opposing the coup leaders.

Maj. Gen. Tanongsak Apirakyothin, the deputy army chief for Thailand's northern provinces, told The Associated Press that there had been some meetings of local politicians in the northern city of Chiang Mai, Thaksin's hometown and stronghold, and they "criticized that the coup as wrong."

Military officials had approached them and asked them to stop their activities, he said.

In the first few days after the coup there had been rumors of a possible countercoup, but no signs of one emerged.

The council has promised to hand over power to an interim civilian regime within two weeks and hold an election by October next year.

Gen. Palangoon Khaharn, the military council's spokesman, refused to say how long the state of restricted activities would continue, saying "it will be lifted when the situation returns to normal."

Thai junta bans local political activity (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060924/ap_on_re_as/thailand_coup)

Thai tanks move out as junta looks to appoint new premier

by Frank Zeller

BANGKOK, Sept 24, 2006 (AFP) - Thailand's new military rulers have ordered their tanks out of central Bangkok five days after a bloodless coup was greeted calmly in the capital.

Tanks posted outside an area of royal and government buildings moved out early Sunday as the military continued to consolidate control after the ouster of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra in last week's coup.

The generals at the weekend drew up a shortlist of four candidates to replace Thaksin and also prepared to step up a corruption probe against the divisive premier who remains in London.

The coup leaders shocked the world last Tuesday evening when they sent tanks and troops into Bangkok and took power in a move apparently welcomed by a majority of Thais for ending months of bitter political division.

Two rows of up to 10 tanks had remained in place around the Royal Plaza since the night of the coup but by Sunday only one remained, and it had mechanical problems.

"The situation is under control but we still maintain tanks in some locations in Bangkok," said junta spokesman Colonel Acar Tiproj.

In previous days, Thais and tourists gave flowers and posed for photos with the soldiers, their enthusiasm apparently undimmed by a series of repressive measures the regime has announced in televised decrees.

Junta leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin last week justified Thailand's first putsch in 15 years by accusing billionaire-politician Thaksin of corruption and of insulting the king, an offence punishable by jail.

On Monday, nine graft-fighters will start investigating corruption claims against Thaksin and his government after the new regime appointed them last week to the National Counter-Corruption Commission.

"One reason they gave to justify the coup was corruption," said political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "Now they have to prove it. They also want to make sure Thaksin doesn't come back."

The new leaders said they were also finalising a temporary draft charter to replace the 1997 constitution that was scrapped with the takeover which will be used until a new one is drawn up.

"When everybody, including the junta, agrees with the draft it would be sent to the king for endorsement and to serve as a legal tool for the new government," said Wissanu Krea-ngam, a former deputy prime minister working for the junta. The draft would be sent to the king this week, he added.

So far the junta has sacked an elected government, imposed martial law, purged Thaksin loyalists, scrapped planned elections, banned public gatherings and threatened retaliations against foreign media.

Some 300 community radio stations in the country's rural north, the heartland of Thaksin's support, have been closed down.

The men in uniform also plan to install a new "civilian premier" tasked with restoring unity and running the country until elections postponed by the junta until October next year, 12 months late.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, having endorsed the army chief as head of the interim military government, will be asked Wednesday to confirm a new civilian premier tasked with guiding the country back to democracy, sources say.

"The selection of a new prime minister is an urgent task on the agenda, and a crucial issue," said junta spokesman Major General Thaweep Netniyan.

"They will try to put together a respectable technocratic government," said Thai politics lecturer Michael Nelson.

Thitinan said the new premier would likely have a legal background, which would be useful as Thailand drafts its 17th constitution, or economic experience and an international profile that would reassure foreign partners.

Most prominent among the candidates was Supachai Panitchpakdi, 60, the former director-general of the World Trade Organization, and now the chairman of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

The others on the shortlist were Bank of Thailand governor Pridiyathorn Devakula and the chiefs of two of the country's top courts, Charnchai Likhitchittha and Akkharathorn Chularat, military sources said.

In the graft probe, meanwhile, the auditor general, whose powers have been widened since the coup, has said she hopes to soon conclude a probe into the sale of bomb scanners for Bangkok's new airport, which is set to open Thursday.

Jaruvan Maintaka said she would then tackle nine other cases of alleged government corruption under Thaksin, including those in connection to an airport train link project, lottery revenues and tsunami relief.

Another major focus will be Thaksin's January sale of his family's telecom empire to a Singapore state company for a tax-free 1.9 billion dollars, the scandal which triggered mass protests against the autocratic leader.