Until recently, students have not played a significant role in the current anti-government movement. -- REUTERS
Bangkok - The top brass of Thailand's military have ruled out a takeover to resolve the political crisis engulfing the nation - for now, the military chief said yesterday.
'Nobody is thinking about launching a coup now. That's not an option,' Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niumpradit said in a telephone interview with Reuters. 'That door is closed.
'But if it drags on like this and people keep telling the army to launch a coup, I don't know what will happen,' he said, a day after a meeting with the chiefs of the army, navy and air force.
General Boonsrang, who is due to retire at the end of the month, said he and the other chiefs debated various options, but declined to elaborate.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is facing a campaign to drive him from power. Thousands of anti-government activists have barricaded themselves in his official compound for nearly two weeks and are refusing to move until he quits.
Thailand's 300,000-strong military has been intensely involved in politics since it helped overthrow the absolute monarchy in 1932. It has since been involved in 23 other coups or coup attempts.
The last military intervention was the ouster of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was removed in 2006.
In that putsch, the generals had insisted just days before tanks rolled into Bangkok that they would not launch another coup.
Mr Samak has offered to hold a referendum on his seven-month rule, but the activists of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who accuse him of corruption and being a Thaksin puppet, have rejected the offer.
Mr Samak, who was holed up in his home yesterday, declared emergency rule across Bangkok on Tuesday following violent street clashes. But on Friday, he said he was considering ending the state emergency because people refused to comply.
He has also picked retired diplomat Saroj Chavanaviraj as the new foreign minister, the third one in seven months of fraught coalition government. Mr Saroj, 66, replaces Mr Tej Bunnag, a career diplomat with close ties to the palace who resigned last week.
A glimmer of hope for ending the crisis came on Friday when Parliament appointed Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondet to act as a mediator.
Lawmakers say mediation should be attempted urgently as Mr Samak's plan to hold the referendum will take many months.
Mr Samak has not rejected outright Mr Prasopsuk's mediatory role. The PAD too welcomed his appointment, but insisted it would hold talks with the government only after Mr Samak resigns.
Yesterday, hundreds of students joined the protest in the pouring rain.
'This is the beginning of an involvement by students to help pressure the government,' said Thammasat University student Pentaka Rakanklang. 'We hope more will come out to join us.'
Until recently, students have not played a significant role in the current anti-government movement.
The deadlock has virtually paralysed the government and has also raised concern about Thailand's ability to hold a summit of South-east Asian leaders in December.
