The coup leader said the ousted PM Shinawatra could return to the country, but warned he could face criminal charges.
Updated at 2.30pm
BANGKOK: Thailand's military chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said on Wednesday that he would hand power to an appointed prime minister within two weeks, and that democracy would be restored in a year.
At his first press briefing since seizing power from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra late Tuesday, Sonthi also said the country's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej had nothing to do with the coup.
"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," Sonthi told reporters.
"I will resign as interim prime minister within two weeks, and now we are looking for the person who will become the new prime minister," he said.
"The potential candidates are politically neutral, and love democracy with the king as head of state," he said.
Sonthi said the government to be appointed by the military would be tasked with drafting a new constitution that would provide the 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 added.
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin also said that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra could return to the country, but warned he could face criminal charges.
"Thaksin is a Thai citizen. We are all Thai, so there won't be any problem. We are like siblings," Sonthi said.
But Sonthi also warned that the billionaire politician -- who stands accused of a variety of corruption charges -- could face criminal charges.
"Any prosecution would proceed under the law, and would depend on the evidence," Sonthi said.
Thaksin was in New York for the UN General Assembly on Tuesday when tanks surrounded his offices in Bangkok and Sonthi announced that the military had taken over.
The website for the Nation newspaper reported that Thaksin had gone to London, where he owns a residence and planned to meet with his family.
Asked if the military would move to seize Thaksin's considerable assets in Thailand, Sonthi said: "Everything will comply with the law. Anybody who has committed a wrongdoing must be held responsible."
Sonthi denied that the king was behind the coup.
"Nobody was behind us. We decided on our own, and we took care of it on our own. We decided within the last two days to stage a coup, because the people have called for it and also because of the mismanagement of the government," he said.
"The military has acted in line with the wishes of the people," he said.
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