Thai coup leader plans to step down within two weeks

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.