THAILAND: Coup leaders have chosen a former army commander and close adviser to Thailand's powerful monarch to lead the country until promised elections next year, the auditor general said yesterday.
The coup leaders, meanwhile, strengthened their grip on power by sidelining officers in the military who had been key supporters of now-deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in an annual reshuffle of top-ranking officers.
The coup-makers accused Mr Thaksin of corruption and insulting the king as they seized power in a bloodless takeover on September 19th while the prime minister was abroad. They vowed to name a civilian leader within two weeks.
A formal announcement on an interim leader was expected in the coming days, but the new ruling military council has hinted that its choice for the position is Gen Surayud Chulanont (62), a highly regarded retired officer.
Auditor general Jaruvan Maintaka revealed the choice in comments late on Thursday that were carried on an official government website yesterday. "Yes, definitely, Gen Surayud is the prime minister. He is the suitable person," Ms Jaruvan was quoted as saying by the public relations department.
However, she later denied making those comments. When telephoned about the details yesterday, she told the Associated Press: "I didn't say so." It was unclear why she appeared to backtrack, but she may have realised that she had pre-empted an official announcement.
Newspapers in Bangkok carried headlines that Gen Surayud would probably head the new government. His appointment was expected to be announced this weekend or on Monday, after it receives approval from King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Yesterday, a number of officers loyal to Mr Thaksin were removed from commands and transferred to either inactive positions or attached to agencies that took them outside the chain of command.
An announcement on official media said the king endorsed the changes.
Gen Winai Phattiyakul, one of the coup leaders, was given a more powerful position while six other army generals who had stood up to Mr Thaksin were elevated to key command slots.
Gen Winai is to become permanent secretary of the defence ministry, a key position, while Gen Boonsang Niempradit was promoted from deputy supreme commander of the armed forces to supreme commander.
Patchara Kampitak, president of the Reporters' Association of Thailand, said journalists from several Thai media outlets visited coup leader Gen Sondhi Boonyaratkalin and received assurances "about freedom of the media".
Patchara quoted Gen Sondhi as saying the interim prime minister would not be a "surprise to the media".
Col Akara Thiprot, a spokesman for the ruling council, said an interim constitution has been completed and sent to the Royal Palace.
He hoped the constitution could be announced over the weekend and followed by the formal announcement of the prime minister.
The expected appointment of Gen Surayud was likely to be widely praised in Thailand.
Over a 40-year career in the military, Gen Surayud garnered a reputation for effectiveness, tact and incorruptibility, the latter a trait not shared by a number of other Thai military officers. Upon his retirement in 2003, he was appointed to the Privy Council, the top advisory body to the king.
During his career he fought Thai communist insurgents and handled the sensitive situation along the embattled Cambodian border during the 1980s. He was regarded as close to the American military, which praised him throughout his career.
A devout Buddhist, Gen Surayud spent time as a monk after leaving the army and often said he had no intention of entering the political fray.
Korn Chatikavanij, deputy general secretary of the Democrat Party, said earlier that Gen Surayud was an "appropriate" choice.
Although being a former general might give the outside world the impression the military was merely transferring power to one of its cronies, that is not true or relevant, he said.
"What is important is domestic reconciliation and Gen Surayud is ideal for that," Mr Korn said.
The coup leaders accused Mr Thaksin of corruption and causing schisms in Thai society. His government was overthrown while he was visiting New York, and he is now in London and has not indicated whether he will try to return to Thailand.
Large demonstrations early this year demanding his fall reflected a polarised Thai society, and many Thais have greeted the coup as a resolution of a national crisis.
It was the 18th coup, attempted coup or rebellion since Thailand abolished its absolute monarchy in 1932.