Thailand

The military, led by the army commander-in-chief, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, seized power in a bloodless coup while Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister, was attending the UN General Assembly on 19 September 2006.

Surayud Chulanont will govern until elections promised for October 2007 The coup was condemned abroad but the new leadership was endorsed by the king. It was Thailand's first coup in 15 years but its 18th since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

The coup leaders, who call themselves the Council for National Security, said they seized power to unite the nation after months of political turmoil and promised to return the country to civilian rule.

They introduced an interim constitution which gives them the power to hire and fire the government as well as the acting parliament.

It also allows them to select the people who will draw up a new constitution and to vet the draft before it is subjected to a referendum.

Retired General Surayud Chulanont was appointed as interim prime minister. He will govern until elections which are expected in October 2007.

Mr Surayud gained a reputation for incorruptibility during his four-decade military career. He became army chief in 1998 and resigned in 2003. As a member of the Privy Council, he is a senior royal advisor.

MEDIA

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The government and military control nearly all the national terrestrial television networks and operate many of Thailand's radio networks. The radio market, particularly in Bangkok, is fiercely competitive. There are more than 60 stations in and around the capital.

The media are free to criticise government policies, and cover instances of corruption and human rights abuses, but journalists tend to exercise self-censorship regarding the military, the monarchy, the judiciary and other sensitive issues.

The print media are largely privately-run, with a handful of Thai-language dailies accounting for most newspaper sales.

A series of media reforms are under way, aimed at reducing military interest and influence in the media and opening up more opportunities to the private sector.

The press

Bangkok Post - English-language <li>The Nation - English-language <li>Daily News - mass-circulation Thai-language daily <li>Thairath - mass-circulation Thai-language daily Television

<li>Thai TV3 - operated by the Mass Communications Organization of Thailand (MCOT), a government agency <li>TV5 - owned by Royal Thai Army <li>BBTV Channel 7 - owned by Royal Thai Army <li>Channel 9 TV - operated by government agency MCOT <li>Independent Television (ITV) - part-owned by prime minister's office <li>Television of Thailand (TVT) Channel 11 - operated by National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT), part of government Public Relations Department Radio

<li>Radio Thailand - national network and external service operated by National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT), part of government Public Relations Department <li>MCOT Radio Network - run by government agency MCOT; operates stations in Bangkok and provincial networks <li>Army Radio - network owned by Royal Thai Army