Today, The Nation discusses the significant developments of that day.

"So I will change the time from midnight to 10pm. The news has spread and this might be a problem," said a coup-maker in a telephone call to Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

Following the telephone conversation, Sonthi decided to lead the military takeover to seize power from the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

Tanks from the First Army Region started to be deployed at key strategic venues, alerting Bangkok residents about the coup in progress. Many people relayed what they were witnessing to their friends in a "told-you-so" manner.

They viewed the military intervention as inevitable and the speculation about a pending coup spread like wildfire during the afternoon of September 19. Some were still puzzling over who the coup leaders - and their targets - were.

Professional people, including nurses and businessmen, began making frantic calls asking each other whether the coup would actually take place that night.

Some remained sceptical since they did not believe that an event that had generated such wild speculation could actually happen.

At nightfall, military activity in Bangkok started to gain momentum in three key units: the First Infantry Division, the Second Cavalry Division and the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division.

The commanders of the three divisions were seen as close to deposed premier Thaksin, prompting many to ask about the coup makers .

By early evening, it became clear that units based in the provinces were on their way to the capital.

Around that time, 26 tanks from the Fourth Cavalry Battalion were mobilised for deployment at Government House. The seizure of the seat of government took place at 11pm by the tanks and two companies of military police from the 11th Army Circle.

The military presence at Government House confirmed the coup was really happening. Many buses transporting special combat soldiers were seen arriving at Army headquarters.

The soldiers were from five battalions of the First Special Warfare Division based in Lop Buri. They were deployed to ensure Sonthi's safety.

The deployment of special combat soldiers was a clear indication as to who the coup leader was. The Special Warfare Command was under Sonthi's leadership before his elevation to the Army's helm.

Before the arrival of special combat forces in Bangkok, infantry troops in Prachin Buri dressed as civilians and boarded 40 buses to take them from Chakkrapong Army Base to Ram-Indra Road.

These troops were from the Third Battalion of the Second Infantry Regiment. After reaching the capital, they were transported to change into their military uniforms at the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen.

The suspense persisted throughout the early evening because it was anticipated that pro-Thaksin officers might try to subvert the coup.

Coup-makers wanted the seizure of power to be peaceful and bloodless. To achieve this, a key man in the plot decided to push the coup forward to 10pm from midnight.

The advancing of the deadline was meant to clear up the suspense and sway certain commanders to stop clinging to the pro-Thaksin clique.

The coup-makers had initially chosen the late evening to allow more time for provincial soldiers to be deployed at strategic locations in case of traffic snarls.

The coup leaders also passed a critical moment at 9pm, when they won the loyalty of troops considered to be pro-Thaksin, comprising three battalions from the Second Cavalry Division and those from the Air Force's Security Forces Command.