The Thai army took control of Bangkok today without a shot being fired and announced a commission to reform the constitution, despite the prime minister's declaration of a state of emergency from New York.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra canceled a planned speech to the United Nations General Assembly this evening, hours after the armed forces seized control of Bangkok in a coup.
The UN Secretariat, which made the announcement, gave no further details. A senior Thai official confirmed the decision, saying the situation in Thailand remained unclear and the prime minister was still evaluating events.
Military personnel stand outside Government House in Bangkok. The Thai army took control of Bangkok today and announced it would set up a commission to reform the constitution.
Tanks and soldiers took over Government House in Thailand's first coup in 15 years and a coup spokesman said on television the army and police were in control of the capital and surrounding provinces.
The seizure would be temporary and power "returned to the people" soon, retired Lieutenant-General Prapart Sakuntanak said on all Thai television channels.
The army declared martial law, told all soldiers to report to base and banned unauthorised troop movements, suggesting the military leadership was worried that Thaksin loyalists in the armed forces might attempt a counter-coup.
Lieut-Gen Prapart said the armed forces and police had set up a body to decide on political reforms, ousting billionaire telecoms tycoon Thaksin in the midst of a political crisis stemming from accusations he had subverted Thailand's 74-year-old democracy.
"Never in Thai history have the people been so divided," Lieut-Gen Prapart said.
"The majority of people had become suspicious of this administration, which is running the country through rampant corruption," he added. "Independent bodies have been interfered with so much they could not perform in line within the spirit of the constitution."
Weerasak Kohsurat, a deputy minister in a previous government, said he believed royal adviser Sumate Tantivejakul would head the reform commission and an interim government would be formed while political reforms were agreed.
Elections would be called soon and Mr Thaksin would be allowed to take part, he said. After mass street protests against him in Bangkok, Mr Thaksin called a snap election in April, hoping his firm rural following would counter his metropolitan opponents.
However, opposition parties argued that Mr Thaksin had skewed neutral bodies such as the Election
Lieut-Gen Prapart
Commission in his favour and boycotted the poll. That rendered the election result invalid.
Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party was widely expected to win a re-run tentatively scheduled for late November, increasing pressure on his opponents in the military and the old establishment to resort to removing him by force.
The Thai baht fell immediately reports of tanks rolling towards Thaksin's Government House office.
Inside Government House, around 50 soldiers ordered police in the complex to lay down their weapons, a witness said, and tanks and soldiers were seen on many street corners although Bangkok remained quiet.
The United States urged a peaceful and democratic resolution to the political situation but did not take sides.