2006 Thai coup d'état

On 19 September 2006 the caretaker government under Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin in Thailand. This took over the Thai military after 15 years of civilian government after the mass protests in May 1992, again the political power in the country. The coup came from the nearby military king who said that the current government is endangering the unity of the country and the monarchy. The coup was approved by King Bhumibol Adulyadej and probably co-sponsored by the Privy Council and its chairman Prem Tinsulanonda. He was a setback for democracy in Thailand.

History and development

The coup was the most 18 military coup in Thailand's history. The Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on 19 September 2006 issued by the military under the command of Commander in Chief of the Army, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin. The heads of the armed forces formed the " Council for Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy ", which took over all state authority. He promised then to return power to the Thai people. For this purpose, but should first constitution to be redesigned and after a year, in 2007, elections are held. After the coup, the state of emergency in Thailand remained for another four weeks, including a ban on assembly.

To about 18 Thai clock time went on 19 September 2006 a number of tanks at the government district in Bangkok. The guards of the government building were disarmed by soldiers in uniform, further the military occupied the broadcasting and media institutions. The Prime Minister Thaksin held at this time at the UN in New York. On the evening of the 19th General Sonthi said that Thaksin was deposed. Then Thaksin tried to relieve from New York Sonthi his office and to win general Runjoj Mahasaranond as a pendant. However, this message could not be delivered because the line was disconnected and thus Thaksin had no more influence on the processes in Thailand. As decisive reasons for the coup called the military zunehemende the corruption of the government of Thaksin and a growing divide in the country. Then the familiar Thaksin their offices were removed and briefly detained, such as the Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit, the Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister Newin Chidchob, general secretary of the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party and Thaksin's brother- Prommin Lertsuidej Somchai Wongsawat and confidant. Thaksin's wife Potjaman left the country in the short term, she traveled to Singapore.

The then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan criticized the coup on the grounds that the country had built up over the last few decades a stable democracy. Annan called on the Thai people to remain calm.

New Constitution

After the break came the first 2006 interim constitution in force ( Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand ( Interim), 2549 Buddhist Era (2006); รัฐธรรมนูญ แห่ง ราช อาณาจักร ไทย ( ฉบับ ชั่วคราว ) พุทธศักราช 2549, RTGS: Ratthathammanun Haeng Ratcha - anachak Thai ( Chabap Chua Khrao ) Phutthasakkarat Songphan - haroi - sisip - kao ). A year later, still valid version of the Thai constitution came into force, the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, 2550 Buddhist Era ( 2007) ( รัฐธรรมนูญ แห่ง ราช อาณาจักร ไทย พุทธศักราช 2550, RTGS: Ratthathammanun Haeng Ratcha - anachak Thai Phutthasakkarat Songphan - haroi - Hasip ).

665668
de