Thai coup leaders ban political parties

Thailand’s new military leaders today moved to tighten their grip on power, restricting political activities and taking over legislative powers, as former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke his silence on his ousting, saying he would take a rest.

With Thaksin laying low in London after his Tuesday night overthrow, the coup leaders also moved to place the tycoon-turned-politician’s vast assets under scrutiny, amid mounting calls for his prosecution for alleged corruption.

In Bangkok, a spokesman for the coup group – which today released the official English translation of its name, the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy – confirmed that four of Thaksin’s close associates were being kept in custody.

Office minister Newin Chidchob and environment minister Yongyut Tiyapairat turned themselves in today, while deputy prime minister Chitchai Wannasathit and Thaksin’s top aide, Prommin Lertsuridej, were detained earlier.

Lt. Gen. Palanggoon Klaharn, a council spokesman, said the men were under the “care” of the military.

“During the transition period, every country does this in order for the situation to return to normalcy quickly,” said Palanggoon.

In announcements broadcast today on all television stations, the military said that it was banning all meetings by political parties and the establishment of new parties, and taking over the duties and responsibilities of parliament, which was dissolved when the constitution was abrogated by the coup leaders.

In a statement released in London, Thaksin said he would take a “deserved rest,” and urged the military to quickly arrange for new national elections.

He urged “all parties to find ways and means to reconcile and work toward national reconciliation for the sake of our king and country,” but did not say if he planned to return.

Thaksin’s decline began about a year ago when a popular movement called for his resignation for alleged corruption and abuse of power. Critics allege that the former telecommunications kingpin took advantage of his position as head of government to enrich himself and his associates.

The Thai capital returned to normality today with businesses reopening and roads jammed with traffic.

Army commander General Sondhi Boonyaratkalin has said he would serve as de facto prime minister for two weeks and then ruling military council will choose a civilian to replace him. A constitution is to be drawn up and elections held in one year’s time.

The military leader received a royal endorsement yesterday, which should effectively quash any efforts at resistance by Thaksin’s partisans.

The restrictions announced today are the latest moves by the council to tighten control, even though no open opposition has surfaced to its Tuesday night takeover. It has also banned public gatherings of over five people and placed restrictions on the media.

Meanwhile, Thaksin’s critics have been calling for an investigation into Thaksin assets and business deals.

The coup group empowered auditor general Jaruvan Maintaka to investigative government corruption, which could lead to the confiscation of Thaksin’s wealth.

Analysts said that proving Thaksin’s alleged corruption was necessary to legitimise the coup.

“They will have to compile evidence and make charges stick,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, said.

Pasuk Phongpaichit, one of Thailand’s most respected political economists, alleged that corruption was “blatant” under Thaksin government but said a coup was not the best way to handle it.

“A democratic country must have a constitution and adhere to the rule of law,” she said. “If the prime minister has done something wrong, he must be tried and he should be judged.”

Despite condemnation of the coup by Western and some Asian governments, the new junta was seen by some as the best chance to resolve a bloody Muslim insurgency in the south that has killed more than 1,700 people.

An exiled Muslim rebel leader today welcomed Thaksin’s overthrow by Sondhi, a Muslim in a predominantly Buddhist country.

Thaksin, who used an iron-fisted policy in trying to suppress the insurgency, was widely detested in southern Thailand and many moderate Muslims said that the conflict could never be resolved as long as he remained in power.

Coup leader Sondhi is the “only one who knows the real problems” of the Muslim-dominated south, said Lukman Lima, a leader of one of several groups fighting for a separate Muslim state in southern Thailand, and currently in exile in Sweden.

Lukman was responding to emailed questions from The Associated Press.

Sondhi, 59, had proposed several weeks ago opening talks with the separatists, but Thaksin’s government vehemently opposed such a move.

Thaksin’s ousting followed a series of missteps that prompted many to accuse the prime minister of challenging the king’s authority – an unpardonable act in this traditional Southeast Asian nation that is a popular vacation destination for Westerners.

Many Thais appeared relieved at the resolution of political tensions festering since the beginning of the year, when street demonstrations demanding Thaksin step down started growing in size and vehemence.

The People’s Alliance for Democracy, one of the groups leading the months-long protests against Thaksin, today called off its demonstrations but said it would continue to watch Thaksin’s associates.

Thailand has had no working legislature and only a caretaker government since February, when Thaksin dissolved Parliament to hold new elections in an effort to reaffirm his mandate.

Schools, government offices and the stock market were closed yesterday but reopened today.

The US government, the European Union and some Asian governments criticised the coup as a step backwards for democracy.