BRITONS TELL OF 'CALM' THAI COUP !

One Briton described the soldiers as 'calm, very relaxed'. Britons in Thailand have described the atmosphere in the capital Bangkok as "calm" after a military coup. Up to 30,000 Britons were thought to be in the country when military leaders overthrew the prime minister.

Miles Gilbert, 32, originally from London, said it seemed the coup had been "very orderly".
"I don't think people fear any long-term problems, I don't think there will be troops on the street for very long," he told BBC News website. The antiques dealer said he had first become aware of the takeover while watching television on Tuesday night. Programmes had been switched off and replaced with pictures of Thailand's king, before a "message came up", Mr Gilbert said. He and his Thai wife had then gone to the army headquarters where there were "big groups of tanks" and troops. The soldiers had seemed relaxed, he said, allowing people to go "right up to the gate".
Tourists were going right up to the troops and posing for pictures - Miles Gilbert.
"It was like a tourist attraction. Tourists were going right up to the troops and posing for pictures," he said.
"Local people were going up to them and asking them questions about what was going on, and they were trying to be helpful."
He said the Thai people were unsurprised by the turn of events and had been "expecting it".
"To be honest, at least since the beginning of the year, people have been talking about it whenever politics comes up."
He said people were largely relieved the coup had not been "heavy-handed".
"Now they know what's going on people don't seem bothered," he said.

'Business as usual'
Chris Hamilton, 22, from London, said: "People are taking it in their stride, that's how Thai people are. This is the way they do it here.
"If this was London it would be strange, but we are not in London, we are in Bangkok.
"It is very calm, everybody is just going about their business.
"The trains are working, the 'sky train' is working, so is the underground and I can see planes taking off." The father-of-one said he had seen a "couple of tanks", but the coup was "not that in your face".
"I just went out now and saw a man with an anti-tank rocket which was quite alarming."
However, troops were mostly centred around the parliament buildings and palace.
"And at all major junctions there are just a few army soldiers," Mr Hamilton said. "I think they have taken over the role of the police."
Backpacker Sam Champion said the "lively, buzzing, busy" atmosphere was no different "from any other day in the capital".
He said he had not seen tanks, but had seen some small groups of soldiers.
"We haven't seen any tanks whatsoever," he said, "just small groups of soldiers who seem to be very calm, chatting, smoking away, talking to locals, and people don't seem to be really very bothered at all."

BBC World, CNN and other international TV news channels have been taken off the air, while Thai stations have been broadcasting footage of the royal family and patriotic songs.
Mr Champion said with no newspapers or broadcasts in English, it was difficult to get an "exact" picture of what was going on, "but it just seems that nobody is worried".
"As far as I can tell there doesn't seem to be any reason to be worried about it. It doesn't seem to be anything to do with tourists or travellers whatsoever.
"It seems to be that the situation is completely under control. It just seems to be so well organised and planned, it doesn't look like it's going to get out of control."

BBC NEWS REPORT.