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BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The army chief who led last year's coup in Thailand said Tuesday he will enter politics by becoming a deputy prime minister.
The move follows Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin's retirement as Thailand's army commander Sunday, an expected departure upon his 61st birthday, which fell Tuesday.
Sonthi moved to further break ties with the military by resigning Monday as the head of the Council for National Security, comprised of the generals who led the coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in September 2006. The council shares power with Thailand's interim civilian government.
Sonthi said he will become a deputy prime minister in the interim government when a Cabinet reshuffle is announced this week.
Sonthi told reporters Tuesday: "My new job will be to oversee security policy," which is more or less what his old job was. Sonthi had previously expressed interest in entering politics, but has not made a decision on whether to run in elections scheduled for December.
Critics charge that any involvement by Sonthi in politics would show the military's desire to prolong its grip on power, which could spark another political crisis.
Sonthi appointed Chalit Pukphasuk as the new head of the Council for National Security. Chalit was one of Sonthi's deputies in the council and is the current air force chief.
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