WASHINGTON, Sept 28: The United States cut off millions of dollars in military assistance to its ally Thailand on Thursday, in response to the military coup that ousted civilian prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the State Department said.

“In response to the military coup on Sept 19, in Thailand, the United States has suspended almost $24 million of assistance to the Thai government,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

He said the aid cut-off involved foreign military financing, international military education and training, and peacekeeping operations.

“The United States continues to urge a rapid return to democratic rule and early elections in Thailand,” Mr McCormack said.

“We look forward to being able to reinstate these programmes after a democratically elected government takes office,” he said.

The Thai military has enjoyed years of close ties to US armed forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

The United States, which has also forged close anti-terror ties with Thailand, had previously condemned the 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 defence 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.

NEW PM: Thailand’s military rulers said on Thursday they had selected a new prime minister to be unveiled at the weekend

Thai media were rife with speculation that the new prime minister, to be announced on Sunday, is Gen Surayud Chulanont, the respected former chief of the military who had been pushed into retirement by Mr Thaksin.—AFP