Ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the main opposition called today for swift general elections in Thailand as military coup leaders banned "political activities".
Mr Thaksin, in a statement from London two days after he was removed in a bloodless coup, urged all parties to work for national reconciliation "for the sake of our King and country".
It said Mr Thaksin "hopes the new regime will quickly arrange a new general election and continue to uphold the principles of democracy for the future of all Thai".
Statement from the coup leaders
It gave no indication the billionaire telecoms tycoon, who won two landslide elections before facing an anti-corruption street campaign a year ago, was planning to return to Bangkok, despite an invitation to do so from coup leaders.
He would have to face charges already filed, including election fraud, and others may be looming.
The administration said it expected to complete a probe this month into whether Mr Thaksin's family legitimately avoided tax on their $1.9 billion sale of the company he founded and into allegations of corruption in government spending under his rule.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called for elections in six months after army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin promised a civilian prime minister in two weeks, followed by a military withdrawal, political reform in a year and then new elections.
"We are encouraged that they don't want to hold onto power and that their job is to put the country back on the democratic path," he said. "But they have to prove it and prove it as soon as possible."
The military sacked four top security aides late today who were deemed close to Mr Thaksin. Earlier in the day two former cabinet ministers were detained at army headquarters where Mr Thaksin's deputy prime minister and chief of staff have been held since Tuesday.
The coup leaders also tightened restrictions on existing political parties, but gave no sense of how long they would last, and banned the formation of new parties.
"The Council for Democratic Reform Under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) has ordered political parties to halt all meetings and political activities," it said.
"We respect the council's need for stability and we will abide by it," said Korn Chatikavanij, a senior member of the Democrat Party.
The military has also banned political gatherings of more than five people as well as distribution of information critical of the coup on Web sites or on television.
The military said it had been forced into a coup because there was no other way out of a political crisis that pitted Mr Thaksin against the old guard and street campaigners who said he had undermined democratic institutions and become a dictator.
Human rights groups denounced the coup, which has drawn wide condemnation abroad. Yet it was generally welcomed at home, even by Mr Thaksin supporters, as the right way to prevent strife in a country which prides itself on social harmony.
"Thailand is without a parliament or a constitution. Its executive is under control of the army. Its judiciary is hobbled. Its media is threatened. It is in a very dangerous moment," the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission said.