BANGKOK, Aug 17 (TNA) - Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban and Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday denied media speculation about possible coup.
Speaking to reporters at Government House, Mr Suthep, who is in charge of security affairs, dismissed as groundless media reports about a possible coup, saying he trusted the military top brass after 7-8 months of working closely with them.
The current political circumstances are 'far from a coup d'etat', the deputy prime minister asserted.
Meanwhile, Gen Prawit echoed Mr Suthep's statement, saying that the media reports are totally unfounded.
He also denied reports that Newin Chidchob, a key figure of the Bhumjaithai Party, the main partner of the coalition government, flew to meet him in Singapore.
Speculation about possible coup swirled in the capital as tens of thousands of supporters of forme prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra gathering at Bangkok's Sanam Luang seeking a royal pardon for Mr Thaksin who was sentenced last year in absentia to two years in prison for the abuse of power while in office.
The incident coincided with the schedule of the Supreme Court's Political Division for Political Office Holders which is due to deliver a verdict regarding the rubber-sapling case against 44 defendants including Mr Newin, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives.
Mr Newin was a close aide of Mr Thaksin but later defected and is believed to have played a key role in helping set up the six-party, Democrat-led coalition government led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. (TNA)
Political News : Last Update : 14:23:18 17 August 2009 (GMT+7:00)
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