US tells Thailand it wants democracy

Bangkok: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates delivered a clear message to Thai leaders on Sunday that Washington expected the military to respect its civilian masters and refrain from any attempt to seize power.

A week of anti-government protests in Bangkok have ignited fears that the military may stage another coup, two years after a similar campaign against then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra led to his ouster in a bloodless putsch.

At a meeting in Bangkok with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who is also the defence minister, and a dozen senior military officers, Gates said democracy was the foundation of America's relationship with the Thai military.

"It is one of the reasons why the secretary's here - to reaffirm that the military relationship is based upon shared democratic values," said a senior US defence official, briefing reporters on the condition that he was not named.