Thai government confirms attempts of military coup

It was true, rather than just rumor, that some militarymen were trying to stage a coup d'etat in Bangkok to oust caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Thai government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said Tuesday.

Surapong told a press conference Tuesday morning that a group of militarymen, as reported earlier, were mapping out a plan to stage a military coup while the caretaker Prime Minister was out of home for an overseas business trip.

A police source, requiring anonymity, also told Xinhua that some militarymen planned to kidnap a granddaughter of Thaksin, as part of the coup attempt, to bargain with Thaksin once the coup is successfully launched.

Thaksin, said in an interview Tuesday that he believed some people are trying to force him out of post. He said that since they had planted a car bomb, which was reportedly foiled as an assassination plot on Thaksin in August, "why not a military coup?"

Thaksin canceled his plan to directly return to Bangkok on Tuesday morning after attending the Sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Helsinki, Finland, and decided to take a break in London, Britain before flying to Cuba to attend another meeting. He said it was for health concern, adding in a joking manner that he was not "pursuing asylum" to avoid domestic troubles.

Surapong also explained late Monday that it was not out of fear for a reported possibility of military coup that premier changed his schedule.

Source: Xinhua - 12 September 2006