A Coup in Thailand.

[Nickdfresh]

Thai government faces coup attempt
POSTED: 1:52 p.m. EDT, 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 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)

Thailand's opposition Party of Democratic Reform seized control of a Thai television station Tuesday and announced it is behind the coup attempt and has the loyalty of Thailand's armed forces.

The statement was read by Prapart Sakultanart, who was identified as a spokesman for the military. He said the coup seekers are loyal to Thailand's long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

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

[BITEYOASS]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
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.

Hmmm, sounds familiar?

[Seshmeister]

Thai fighters?

[Nickdfresh]

Imperial fighters and 50-some-odd-year-old M41 Walker Bulldog tanks, excellent!

[binnie]

I believe that there were some riots in Hungary too. I don't have details yet as I was in a rush this morning and didn't get to read all of the news.

However, their Primeminister said that the government had lied about the economy an had no significant policies to be rpoud of!

[Coyote]

Originally posted by binnie
I believe that there were some riots in Hungary too. I don't have details yet as I was in a rush this morning and didn't get to read all of the news.

However, their Primeminister said that the government had lied about the economy an had no significant policies to be rpoud of!

Hungary 'Lies' Admission Sparks Riots
Tuesday September 19, 11:07 PM


Hungary's embattled prime minister is refusing to step down after a night of rioting following his admission he had lied to the public. Ferenc Gyurcsany admitted the last 24 hours had been the "the longest and darkest night" for the country since the fall of communism in 1989.

"I had spent three minutes on Sunday night thinking about whether I should step down or whether I had a reason to step down, and the conclusion I came to is that absolutely not," Mr Gyurcsany told the Reuters news agency.

Mr Gyurcsany caused outrage when he admitted in a closed meeting he had lied to voters about the country's economy so as to win the April elections.

The tape of the conversation, recorded in May, was leaked to a radio station.

"We lied in the morning, we lied in the evening," he said in a speech littered by obscenities.

He said the economy had been kept afloat only through "divine providence, the abundance of cash in the world economy and hundreds of tricks".

"No European country has done something as boneheaded as we have," he continued.

"There is not much choice. There is not, because we screwed up. Not a little, a lot," he said.

Around 2,000 to 3,000 protesters took to the streets after the tape was made public, attacking police, buildings and cars.

"The party is 100% behind me, there's not a single dissenting vote," Mr Gyurcsany insisted.

"But I admit, in the past four months, I failed to convey the message about the need for reform."

He vowed to push ahead with economic reforms.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/19092006/14...rks-riots.html

[binnie]

Cheers Coyote!