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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai government, army deny coup claims |
| 2011-01-28 |
| [Straits Times] THE Thai government on Thursday denied opposition claims that it faces a military coup amid intensifying street protests and ahead of expected elections. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected the suggestion, by a politician and leader of the anti-government 'Red Shirts', that the army was poised to intervene in Thai politics. 'No, they are not thinking of a coup,' he said, adding he was 'confident' that army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha was not plotting to oust him. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban also denied the claims, but acknowledged some in the deeply divided nation would support a military move - which would be the 19th actual or attempted coup in Thailand since 1932. 'There may be some groups calling for a coup, but don't call for that, it's not the solution for our country,' he said, less than five years after the military ousted the Red Shirts' hero then premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Army front man Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd also denied any such plans. 'The army chief had repeatedly insisted that he will not stage a coup and in the current circumstances, no military figure would dare to mount a coup,' he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 See also CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > MULLAHS SUCCESSFULLY DESTROY THAI MILITARY BASE NORTH OF MALAYSIA [Rural Thai ARBASE in Narathiwat]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-01-28 20:21 |