PM Thaksin dismissed

[Norseman]

Identifying itself as Thailand's 'Democratic Reform Council,' a group of the armed forces commander and the national police commander led by Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, carried out a bloodless coup d'etat on Tuesday night and dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra while he was in New York.

Despite the demonstrated public distaste for military coups and military rule, one year of political impasse and deteriorating confidence in the prime minister developed into a situation where the public could view the military as a possible protector of the country's hard-won democratic reforms..

Carried out as Mr. Thaksin was in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, the lead-up to the coup saw the now former premier attempt to dismiss Gen. Sonthi on Tuesday, unsuccessfully.

Military armoured units surrounded Government House, and occupied the office of the prime minister, other key government offices, and radio and television stations.

Describing its action, the Democratic Reform Council said in its first announcement, shortly after 9pm in Bangkok, that "for the sake of peace and order" in the kingdom, the council imposed martial law on a nationwide basis, and repealed the state of emergency that Mr. Thaksin had declared earlier in the day.

In a second announcement, the council halted all mobilisation and military movements, and ordered troops to their bases.

In its third announcement, the council repealed the 1997 Constitution, and dissolved the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Constitution Court.

However, the council affirmed the role of the privy council, the role of the courts of justice—except the Constitution Court, stating that the courts would retain full power to adjudicate cases according to the law, and the announcements of the council itself.

As the overnight change of government took effect, concern continued that military units loyal to Mr. Thaksin might stage counter actions, but this did not seem to be the case before dawn on Wednesday.

Thaksin, who had been scheduled to address the General Assembly, later canceled his speech.