Thais And Tourists Clear Bangkok Streets After Military Launches Coup

[Thaising]

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Bangkok's bustling streets emptied out early Wednesday from shopping stalls to red light districts after word spread that the military had launched a coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and imposed martial law.

Foreigners clustered in tourist areas, trying to make sense of the latest twist in Thailand's political crisis as bars closed early and sent many into the streets in the rain.

Across Bangkok, Thais trickled out onto barren streets, welcoming the surprise turn as a necessary climax to months of demands for Thaksin to resign amid allegations of corruption, electoral skullduggery and a worsening Muslim insurgency in the south.

Few seemed disappointed. A few dozen Thais raced over to the prime minister's office to take pictures of tanks surrounding the area.

"This is exciting. Someone had to do this. It's the right thing," said Somboon Sukheviriya, 45, software developer snapping pictures of the armored vehicles with his cell phone.

"There's no blood. Everyone is on their side," Somboon said, pointing to the troops.

One woman handed out roses to soldiers at military headquarters, and other onlookers took a collection to buy food for them.

Soldiers guarded major intersections and tanks rolled through downtown Bangkok ahead of the late evening announcement, warning people to get off streets for their safety.

Bar girls in one of Bangkok's normally teeming red light districts tried to tune the televisions above the bar to the news. Most channels suspended programming ahead of the coup announcement, while the military took control of government run stations. File footage of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej was broadcast on all stations, interspersed with announcements signed by military chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin that the armed forces had taken control.

"Tomorrow, I'm not sure what's going to happen," said Mon Kamon, a 28-year-old bartender in hoop earrings and tight jeans at a bar called Playskool. "A long time ago, Thailand had problems. People died. I don't want problems." He was alluding to past military coups in this Southeast Asian nation that had resulted in bloodshed.

Most bars closed ahead of their 2 a.m. closing time because the tourists who fill them cleared out early. "After happy hour ended at 10. Everyone left," said Mon.

Across town at Khao San Road, the popular backpacker's district, bars closed amid confusion. Many tourists had no idea what was going on.

"They just told us that to protect tourists they were going to close down," said Pascal Lehner of Berne, Switzerland, who was sitting at a bar when he saw all the Thais rush to a television set.

Many phoned home to let family know everything was all right.

"My mother was hysterical on the phone, but I told her not to worry, it's all right," said 30-year-old Diane McDonald of Ayshire, Scotland. Laura Dyer, a 23-year-old flight attendant from Canada, landed just before the coup was declared.

"I called home to tell my family we had arrived safely," she said. "I talked to my father, he said 'Do you know what's going on there?' We said 'No, we don't have a clue.'"

Like so many in Thailand, Dyer wondered, "What's going to happen next?"