Thai PM says no chance of a coup

Bangkok : Thailand's embattled prime minister denied a rift with the army yesterday and dismissed the possibility of a coup to overthrow his government later this month when he travels to New York to attend the UN General Assembly meetings.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Thailand's last coup occurred in 2006 when then-PM Thaksin Shinawatra was at the UN headquarters as massive anti-government protests were going on at home. But he said history was not about to repeat itself.

"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," he said in his weekly TV broadcast.

"The military will not stage a coup," he said. "They know the international community will not tolerate [another] coup." "Speculation about the army deserting me is stupid and groundless," said Samak, who is known for his folksy talk.

Democracy in Thailand has a history of fragility; the military has staged 18 coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

Protests began in May, but the situation flared on August 26 when demonstrators stormed his office compound. They have refused to leave Government House until he resigns.

Samak lamented that the protesters have ignored a state of emergency that he imposed last week.

The protesters accuse Samak of being a stooge of Thaksin, who was prime minister for six years before being deposed in 2006 following months of street protests by the alliance.