City still calm after coup rumours
All remained quiet at the Army headquarters close to midnight on Wednesday, and the Council for National Security tried to quash intense rumours sweeping the capital that either another coup was imminent or a drastic plan was underway to deal with proThaksin protesters.
Reporters swarming the Army headquarters started withdrawing around midnight. Army sources denied the coup rumours which peaked late in the evening.
The rumours were apparently propelled by related events earlier in the day. Late in the afternoon, rumours had it that the military council was planning to declare a curfew to force an end to street protests by proThaksin mobs.
After a meeting between CNS chairman Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin and top security officials, CNS spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd came out to deny that the junta was planning to enforce a curfew.
"Rumours about the curfew was absolutely groundless," he said.
More rumours then emerged that the proThaksin protesters were planning to move their rally to the Army headquarters to challenge the CNS.
One of the protest leaders, Chatuporn Prompan, denied the rumours and said that they were apparently spread to pave the way for the military council to take drastic action against the protesters.
The Nation
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