BBC: 'Coup' sparks Thailand emergency

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | 'Coup' sparks Thailand emergency: "Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok amid reports of a coup attempt.

Soldiers have entered Government House and tanks have moved into position around the building.

Mr Thaksin, who is at the UN in New York, announced he had removed the chief of the army and had ordered troops not to 'move illegally'.

An army-owned TV station is showing images of the royal family and songs linked in the past with military coups.

Correspondents say that there have been low-level rumours of a possible coup for weeks.

Thai media say that two army factions appear to be heading for a clash, with one side backing the prime minister and the other side backing a rebel army chief."

The situation in Thai politics has been messy for months now. I was there in April/May and the King had had to enter in to the situation and call for a plan to clean up the screwed up election process. We'll keep an eye on this.