THAILAND: Thai army commander Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the first Muslim military chief of this largely Buddhist country, has always shunned politics and a week ago ruled out the prospect of a coup.
"The country needs a strong economy, society and stable government. Coups will ruin the country," he is on record as saying.
So it came as a surprise when the 59-year-old soldier, backed by the navy, air force and police, occupied prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's office while he was at the UN in New York on Tuesday.
He is fiercely loyal to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has endorsed the coup, although he insists the military acted alone. He spent two days pondering whether or not to stage it.
Gen Sonthi served in Vietnam after graduating from Bangkok's elite Chulachomkhlao Military Academy in 1969.
He said the interim "Council for Democratic Reform Under Constitutional Monarchy" had no intention of running the country and would return power "as soon as possible".
