Thai PM dismisses coup plot

BANGKOK, February 9 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra denied Thursday a speculation aired by a red-shirt protest leader that there would be a coup d’etat in April to topple her elected government. When dismissing the speculation, Yingluck insisted that she has already double-checked the recent remark of the red-clad protest leader, Jatuporn Prompan, who is also a list MP of her ruling Pheu Thai Party, acknowledging that Jatuporn was expressing his personal opinions. Jatuporn earlier said he had received the warning from a US intelligence unit. The Pheu Thai prime minister urged all parties to leave behind conflicts and join forces to promote national reconciliation. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat confirmed that the Royal Thai Armed Forces have no plan to stage any coup d’etat and he considered Jatuporn’s remark and reference to the US intelligence as a joke. Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said, on the other hand, that there was no such the intelligence report from any local or overseas source as claimed by Jatuporn. Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubumrung declined to give any comment on the issue, affirming that there has not been any mistrust between the incumbent Pheu Thai Party-led government and the military. (TNA)