The United States imposed sanctions against Thailand in response to the military coup which ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
WASHINGTON: The United States imposed sanctions against its ally Thailand on Thursday in response to the military coup which ousted civilian prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the State Department said.
The sanctions involved cutting off millions of dollars in assistance to the Thai military, which has enjoyed years of close ties to US armed forces in the Asia-Pacific region, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said.
The United States, which has also forged close anti-terror ties with Thailand, had previously condemned the September 19 coup and called on the ruling generals to call elections before their one year deadline.
Official US military trips to Thailand had previously been suspended and all temporary defense duties in Thailand frozen, according to Stars and Stripes, a daily newspaper published for the US military.
US military personnel in Thailand on temporary orders have been recalled, it said.
The White House has also hinted that so far inconclusive talks with Bangkok on a free trade agreement, might also depend on a return to democratic rule.
Thailand's military rulers said earlier on Thursday they had selected a new prime minister to be unveiled at the weekend, but refused to say when they would lift martial law and pull troops off the streets.
Thailand is a key US diplomatic ally and US non-NATO ally and has been a voice for democracy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which also includes several totalitarian states.
The fate was also unclear of the next annual "Cobra Gold" live-fire exercise, the largest US war games in Asia, which the United States hosts along with Thailand.
The exercises, launched 25 years ago and originally limited to US and Thai troops, has been expanded in recent years to include an anti-terror component. It was not clear if next year's operation would be affected by the coup.
EU urges end to martial law: The European Union called on Thursday for a speedy return to democracy in Thailand and said martial law should be lifted without delay.
A statement from the Finnish Presidency of the European Union said the bloc attached great importance to holding free and democratic elections in Thailand 'as soon as possible'.
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