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ลำดับตอนที่ #12 : Thai government faces coup attempt

Thai government faces coup attempt

POSTED: 1720 GMT (0120 HKT), September 19, 2006

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Members of Thailand's military are attempting to seize power in Bangkok but the Thai leadership expects everything to return to normal soon, Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai told CNN.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- currently at the U.N. headquarters in New York -- went on a government-owned TV station and declared a state of emergency, The Associated Press reported.

The government has maintained control of the capital and the surrounding areas, according a statement on Thailand's state-controled Army television.

The statement asked for residents to remain calm and await further announcements. (Watch tanks roll through the streets of Bangkok -- 3:53)

Around the royal palace in Bangkok, four tanks were parked as were a number of armored vehicles and Humvees, CNN's Dan Rivers reported. Soldiers appeared to be setting up roadblocks and what appeared to be members of the royal guard surrounded the palace.

It was unclear if the soldiers were loyal to the government or to those attempting to seize power. There have been no reports of violence in Bangkok.

According to officials at the Thai mission at the United Nations, Thaksin has moved up his speech to the General Assembly to Tuesday night and will return to Bangkok after his address.

He had been scheduled to address the assembly on Wednesday.

Thailand operates as a constitutional monarchy, with the king as head of state and the prime minister leading the government. The country is an ally of the U.S. and contributed troops to the U.S.-led military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thaksin has been under considerable pressure to step down.

Elections in Thailand are scheduled for November after the country's constitutional court ruled April's vote was unconstitutional.

Thaksin had called for the elections in April, three years early, after opponents accused the billionaire leader of abusing the country's system of checks and balances and bending government policy to benefit his family's business.

-- CNN Senior UN Correspondent Richard Roth contributed to this report

Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.



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