Thai coup leader seeks to ease democracy fears

Thailand's new civilian prime minister will have a free hand in running the country, its military leader said yesterday, trying to ease fears about the army casting its shadow over a return to democracy and beyond.

"I can assure you it is impossible that we will control the government," coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said at Army Headquarters in his first formal interview with a foreign news organisation, Reuters.

"We will be the government's tool to keep peace." Mr Sonthi, head of the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) which ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on September 19, said a stop-gap constitution would come into force tomorrow. After that a candidate for prime minister would be submitted to revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej for approval. He declined to name Mr Thaksin's successor, who will oversee the drafting of a final charter over the next nine months. Thai media focused on respected ex-army chief Surayud Chulanon who appeared to be the favourite of at least one CDR member.

"I like him. I prefer him. (Mr) Surayud is my choice, but I don't have the power to choose,"

General Winai Phattiyakul said at a roundtable discussion with foreign correspondents yesterday.