Thai military and police declared on late Tuesday that they have seized
power of the state from the caretaker government and that caretaker Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has agreed to resign.
Armed forces entered TV and radio stations in Bangkok around 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday. About half an hour later a statement were broadcast to the country,
declaring the success of coup and asking for people's cooperation.
Tanks and armed forces occupied the Government House in Bangkokand blocked
the paths to the complex.
The military said the coup, jointly launched by Commanders of the Army, Air,
and Navy as well as the Chief of Police, was staged to topple Thaksin, who was
at the moment in New York to attend UN general assembly.
The military said the coup was undertaken without violent confrontation and
blooding.
Thaksin issued a speech from the U.S. by state-controlled TV channel 9 a
little ahead of the military victory statement, declaring an emergency state
over Bangkok. But the speech was cut off after airing for about 13 minutes, as
Thai military took hold of the channels.
