Thai coup leaders loosen grip, keep martial law

Bangkok, Oct 17: Thailand's post-coup government will lift a ban on political gatherings of more than five people but keep martial law in place, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said today.

''The situation will dictate when we should lift it,'' Surayud said of martial law, a main focus of international pressure since the bloodless September 19 coup ousted elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Surayud said he would meet the coup leaders, now transformed into the Council for National Security, later today about when to lift the ban on political gatherings.

''We want to see more people's participation'' as the post-coup interim civilian government drafted its national policy and set up a panel to write a new constitution, he told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

No one has been arrested for breaching the political gathering ban, which carries a jail term of six months and/or a fine of 10,000 baht 265 dollars, since it was imposed after a coup greeted generally with relief after a long political crisis.

The few demonstrations called against the coup have attracted few participants and they were usually well outnumbered by journalists and plainclothed police.

Surayud launched a charm offensive last week to persuade foreign diplomats that all was well after the coup, but was urged to lift martial law immediately and hasten a return to democratic rule.

Ambassadors of the United States and the European Union were the two most critical envoys at Government House last week urging Surayud to lift martial law without delay.

Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas said last week Thailand would remain under martial law for about another month as the post-coup government let political turbulence settle.

REUTERS

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