Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Thai military chief rejects coup rumours


Supreme armed forces commander Gen Songkitti Jaggabatara told a news conference on Tuesday: 'Please stop believing that the military will stage a coup. Definitely not.' -- PHOTO: AP

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S top military brass has issued a joint statement saying there will not be a coup, seeking to dispel rumours as politics heat up ahead of expected elections later this year.

Supreme armed forces commander Gen Songkitti Jaggabatara told a news conference on Tuesday: 'Please stop believing that the military will stage a coup. Definitely not.'


He made the comments alongside the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs after a monthly meeting. Senior military officials have made similar comments but not as a unified group.

Military coups are a common feature of modern Thai political history. There have been 18 coups since the 1930s including the most recent that ousted divisive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. -- AP

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