Thursday, September 21 2006 11:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangkok: After seizing power in a bloodless coup, the Thai Army yesterday (Sept 20,2006) said a new Prime Minister would be named within two weeks but warned that ousted Premier Thaksin Shinawatra could face criminal charges when he returns home from abroad.

"An interim constitution will be drafted within two weeks, and during that time a new national assembly will be appointed, and a new Prime Minister will be appointed," General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the coup leader, said at his first press conference since grabbing power last night.

Thaksin was in New York to attend the UN General Assembly session when the military staged the coup. The ousted Thai leader has a home in London and is expected to arrive there later yesterday.

Sonthi, a Muslim, said that he would resign as interimPrime Minister within two weeks.

"Now we are looking for the person who will become the new Prime Minister. The potential candidates are politically neutral, and love democracy with the King as head of state," he said.

The army commander also said that Thailand would hold a general election in a year's time, once a new constitution had been written.

He said the Government to be appointed by the military would draft a new constitution to provide a framework for new general elections.

"By early next month, the interim Constitution will be ready, which will allow the start of writing a new, permanent Constitution. That process should take about one year," he said.

"The next general election will hopefully take place in October next year," he said.