UN: It was the speech he never gave. Thailand's deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly yesterday morning. His speech was scheduled for around noon, which was about the time the charter aircraft which brought him to New York left for London.
In his initial reaction to news of the coup, UN secretary general Kofi Annan said: "This is not a practice to be encouraged. We as an organisation have always supported governmental changes through democratic means, through the ballot box.
"Over the past decade or so they have established a solid democracy and institutions under the leadership of the king. And I'm sure they will be able to restore that institution and go back to a democratic system as soon as possible,"
Meanwhile, Mr Thaksin was quoted as telling reporters as he left: "I didn't expect this incident would happen." He added: "I was prime minister when I came, and I was jobless on the way back.
"I volunteer to work for the country. If they don't want me to do that, I won't."
Other passengers on the Thai Airways aircraft included deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who has been seen as a possible secretary general candidate when Kofi Annan steps down at the end of the year.
Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, also in New York for the assembly, expressed concern at the "unacceptable" overthrow of the Thai government. "We want to see a return to democratic rule," he said.
"It's of grave concern for us that the government has been overthrown in this way."
US state department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said: "We look to the Thai people to resolve their political differences in a peaceful manner and in accord with the principles of democracy and the rule of law."
Swedish foreign minister Jan Eliasson called for a resolution of the crisis along constitutional lines.
"It is of the utmost importance that political disputes are resolved within the constitution's framework, peacefully, according to democratic principles and with respect for human rights."
Canada's foreign minister Peter MacKay said his country was "deeply concerned".
He continued: "Thailand has made marked progress in terms of respect for human rights and the rule of law, and Canada urges all parties to continue to uphold these values."
A noisy demonstration against Mr Thaksin's policies was held outside UN headquarters on Monday although there was no evidence that this had any connection with the carefully orchestrated coup back in Bangkok.