泰国军方发动政变 军方宣布解散内阁废除宪法

寒武纪

中新网9月20日电 据“中央社”报道，泰国惊传政变，陆军上将宋帝(SonthiBoonyaratkalin)召集装甲部队入占国务院，并组成民主改革议会，宣布解散内阁、参议院与宪法法庭，并且废除宪法，新总理将等待民主改革议会讨论后决定。

在宋帝发动政变之后，在纽约的泰国总理他信立即宣布全国进入紧急状态，不过宋帝的民主改革议会随后也宣布解除他信的总理职务，并且宣布内阁解散，同时参议院与宪法法庭也解散，并且废止宪法。

原本民主改革议会已宣布由枢密院委员，前陆军总司令苏另育(SurayudhChulanont)将接任新总理，不过在命令发布后一个小时，又立即宣布新总理将由民主改革议会在讨论之后决定。

亲宋帝的军队19日晚开进曼谷，十数辆坦克将国务院四周道路封住，数百名军人进驻，情势显得有些紧张；军队先行包围了泰国通信卫星接收站，另一支军队则前往控制住第十一电视台，此外，还有部份军队开拔到枢密院主席普瑞姆的住宅附近，声称将保护普瑞姆的安全。

军队随后分别控制住五马路以及附近的国务院、皇家广场与相关部会；而国防部长塔马拉与泰国大众传播公司主席，也是负责第九电视台的民宽(MingkwanSaengsuwan)则遭到军方拘禁。

民主改革议会发表声明指出，泰国目前正面临前所未有的分裂局势，对立的双方都试图征服对手，情况愈来愈糟，而且政府贪污的传言也愈来愈多，政府与独立行政机构充满了政治任命，无法执行宪法所赋予的责任，政府将王室边缘化，在没有解决方式的情况下，军方决定发起革命，军方没有意愿统治国家，也会尽快将政权交由人民决定，以保卫和平，并且尊重泰国人民所敬重的泰王。

不过目前局势仍未稳定，参与政变的包括了第一与第三军区的部队，但军队中仍有支持他信的势力，双方虽然尚未发生冲突，但一旦政变持续下去，恐怕局势会一发不可收拾。

purpletulip

With Premier at U.N., Thai Military Stages Coup
By SETH MYDANS and THOMAS FULLER
Published: September 20, 2006
By SETH MYDANS

Sukree Sukplang/Reuters
A tank outside Government House in Bangkok today.


A soldier stands guard next to a tank outside Government House in Bangkok.

A tank near the Government House in Bangkok.

Rumors of a coup swept Bangkok today as the Thai military blocked the area around Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's office with tanks.


BANGKOK, Wednesday, Sept. 20 — In Thailand’s first coup in 15 years, military leaders seized control of Bangkok on Tuesday night, suspended the Constitution and declared martial law in the capital, effective immediately.

There were no reports of violence.

The moves came while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was in New York preparing to address the United Nations. He declared a state of emergency on Thai television, but was cut off in mid-speech. Later, he canceled his address to the General Assembly.

The coup, led by the army chief, Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, also “terminated” both houses of Parliament, the cabinet and the Constitutional Court.

The events on Tuesday returned Thailand to a time that most experts here thought was finally past, raising questions about the future of Thai democracy and the stability of a country that is a prime tourist destination with strong economic links to the West.

The coup came at the height of a drawn-out political crisis. In April, Mr. Thaksin was forced by huge street protests to step aside despite an overwhelming electoral mandate. In fact, though, he continued to lead the government and to wage political battles against his opponents.

After a long break, demonstrations against the prime minister had been due to resume this week, bringing with them the danger of violent clashes between his supporters and opponents.

Late Tuesday night, General Sondhi was shown on television in an audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a clear indication that the highly revered constitutional monarch endorsed the move.

On a military-controlled television station, a general in civilian clothes said a “council of administrative reform” had seized power in the name of the king.

Speaking for General Sondhi, who has publicly feuded with the prime minister, Gen. Prapas Sakultanak said that the military did not intend to rule the country and that it would “hand power back to the people.” He gave no timetable.

The military has a long history of political involvement, staging 18 coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. The last one, in 1991, installed a military leader who was pushed from power by a popular uprising the next year.

Under heavy rain, tanks and armored personnel carriers took up positions blocking the entrance to the prime minister’s office on Tuesday night. Other tanks arrived at government offices and major intersections. Witnesses reported that roadblocks had been set up on roads leading into the city. The streets were quiet, and even at the prime minister’s office there was little tension. Some bystanders photographed one another standing near the tanks.

Kitichai Songkeattisi, 40, a commercial photographer, said: “The last time was much more intense. People were more afraid.”

Mr. Thaksin is one of the most popular — and unpopular — prime ministers in recent Thai history. Thais’ different viewpoints demonstrate a sharp social divide that he has played on during the crisis.

Mr. Thaksin’s party, Thai Rak Thai, or Thais Love Thais, has won three elections by landslides, in 2001, 2005 and again in April. Because of his broad support among rural voters, he was widely expected to win any new election.

But as he has tightened his grip over much of the political scene, opposition to him has swelled among the elite, mostly in Bangkok. Public indignation rose after his family’s tax-free sale of its $1.9 billion stake in a giant telecommunications company to a Singapore company.

On television, the military spokesman, General Prapas, accused Mr. Thaksin of corruption and constant interference with the legislature and the courts. He apologized to the public for any inconvenience caused by the coup.

In an effort to end the demonstrations and reassert control, Mr. Thaksin called an early election in April, which he won in a landslide. But the opposition boycotted the vote and a court annulled the result, in a severe setback for the prime minister.

An election commission loyal to Mr. Thaksin set a new vote for Oct. 15, but its members were removed and jailed by a court for malfeasance. A new commission has said that election would be delayed.

The televised announcement on Tuesday was made after reports of large-scale military movements around the capital. The military has been sharply divided between officers loyal to the prime minister — some of them his relatives — and others who oppose him.

There has been tension over an impending military shuffle that would determine which faction would dominate.

Interviewed in New York by CNN soon after early reports of a coup, Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said, “We hope that the situation should return to normal soon because the prime minister is constitutionally and legally elected prime minister and this is an elected government, so we have to do everything we can to uphold the principle of democracy.”

General Prapas, speaking in Thailand, laid out the rationale for the military’s move.

“The government’s performance destroyed harmony in society,” he said. “Everyone tried to win over each other, and the situation continued to worsen. Most people don’t trust the government because there are many signs of corruption.”

He said the prime minister had hobbled independent bodies created by the 1997 Constitution to provide checks and balances. A leading demand of the prime minister’s opponents is the writing of a new constitution that would temper executive power.

General Prapas said many attempts had been made at compromise but had failed. “That is why we, the Party for the Reform of Governance under the Constitutional Democracy, which consists of the army commanders and national police commander, have to seize power.”

He added: “We would like to insist that we have no intention of governing the country. We will return the power of constitutional monarchy back to Thai people as soon as possible to maintain peace and stability.”

月光笑侠

还是党指挥枪靠得住

7-212

望麓政变

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