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Thai leader dismisses talk of military coup

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-07 15:57

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's embattled prime minister denied a rift with the army Sunday and dismissed the possibility of a coup when he travels to the UN General Assembly in New York later this month.

An anti-government demonstrator waves the Thai national flag while leading a student rally near the Government House in Bangkok September 6, 2008. [Agencies]

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej noted that Thailand's last coup occurred in 2006 when then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was in New York at the UN headquarters as massive anti-government protests were going on at home.

But, he ruled out history repeating itself.

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"I will deliver my speech at the United Nations and I don't believe any unwanted incident will happen like when Thaksin went to speak there," Samak said in his weekly television broadcast.

"The military will not stage a coup," he said. "They know the international community will not tolerate (another) coup."

Democracy in Thailand has a history of fragility, with the military staging 18 coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

Anti-government protests began in May, but the situation flared on Aug. 26 when demonstrators stormed his office compound. They have refused to leave Government House until he resigns.

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