Sonthi met with envoys and the press in a back-to-back session at the Royal Thai Army headquarter to explain the need for the coup and the promise to relinquish power to democratically elected representatives as soon as possible. No time frame was given.

In Washington, the US State Department said it was uneasy about the military takeover and said in a statement it hopes ``the Thai people will resolve their political differences in accord with democratic principles and the rule of law.''

Australia and New Zealand used stronger language, with Canberra saying it was concerned to see democracy ``destroyed,'' and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark saying her country ``condemns'' the coup.

Japan urged efforts to quickly restore democracy in the Southeast Asian nation, where many leading Japanese businesses have factories and affiliates.

China, which Thaksin has tried hard to build a stronger relations for strategic and diplomatic reasons, brushed off Thailand's military coup as an internal affair and wished the country "harmony and prosperity."

"It's Thailand's own internal affair. China has consistently upheld the principle of noninterference in other countries' internal affairs," the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

"China and Thailand are friendly neighbours. We wish Thailand harmony and prosperity... and we hope for the continued development of friendly bilateral relations."

Indonesia on Wednesday expressed concern following the military coup in Thailand, saying it hoped democratic principles would be enforced.

"The Indonesian government is closely following the developments in Thailand with concern," Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda said in a statement issued from New York, where he was attending the UN General Assembly.

"As a fellow member state of Asean, the Indonesian government hopes that the democratic principles, important elements in the Asean community that have been agreed together, will remain enforced," the minister said.

He also expressed hope that the political crisis in Thailand could soon be settled through democratic means.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has expressed shock over the military coup in Thailand and says he hopes democratic rule will be quickly restored, state media said Wednesday.

"I am really shocked. I didn't expect a coup would have taken place in Thailand," Abdullah was quoted by the Bernama news agency as saying late Tuesday in New York, where he was attending the UN General Assembly meeting.

The Malaysian premier said he hoped a democratically elected government would soon be restored in Thailand, which borders Malaysia to the north.

The Philippines on Wednesday expressed concern over the military coup in Thailand and urged Thais to resolve their "internal" issues in a peaceful manner.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a friend and role model of President Gloria Arroyo, was ousted overnight Tuesday while attending the UN sessions as the army took power in Bangkok.

Philippine ambassador to Bangkok, Antonio Rodriguez, said the coup was an "internal political issue and we should wait for the crisis to be resolved before we issue a statement."

He said over local broadcaster ABSCBN that the main concern of the Philippines, a fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), was for the issue to be "resolved peacefully and nothing happens to peace-loving people in Thailand."

"The influence of (Thai) king is all-encompassing. I don't think the Thais will want to displease him by shooting at each other."

Rodriguez said he was unaware if Arroyo had been in touch with Thaksin since the events of Tuesday night.

He said the 7,000 or so Filipinos living in Thailand are safe. Most of them are teachers, UN workers, entertainers and businessmen.

The Nation, Agencies