Thai PM Declares Emergency, Tanks in Bangkok
19 September 2006
Thailand's prime minister has declared a state of emergency and witnesses report tanks in the streets of the Thai capital, Bangkok.
Reporters in the Thai capital said witnesses saw tanks in the streets and around the government headquarters as rumors of a coup attempt swirled. Some witnesses said army troops were inside the prime ministers headquarters.
Government-owned Thai television reports that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, speaking from New York where is attending the U.N. General Assembly session, has declared a state of emergency. The prime minister said he had received reports that the situation in Thailand was not stable.
Reports from Bangkok indicate soldiers have been stationed in strategic locations around the city, including near the government headquarters.
The Thai leader dissolved Parliament and called elections in April, after critics demonstrated for weeks, accusing him of corruption and calling for his resignation. The opposition boycotted the election, however, and the courts later deemed the poll illegal.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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