 Saprang and Sonthi started planning for the coup 7 to 8 months in advance , in approximately February 2006 . <unk> planning occurred prior to the April 2006 elections , during Thaksin 's controversial sale of Shin Corporation to <unk> Holdings and the peak of the People 's Alliance for Democracy 's campaign to <unk> the government . In July 2006 , Saprang gave an interview where he stated that Thai politics was below standard and that the Kingdom 's leadership was weak . He also claimed that Thailand had a false democracy . He denied that such criticism constituted military interference in politics . At the same time , the Thai media speculated that in the October 2006 annual Army reshuffle , Saprang would not be promoted to Assistant Army Commander and would not be allowed to retain his position of 3rd Army Area Commander . In July , Saprang 's own Deputy Commander in the 3rd Army Area , Major General Manas <unk> , warned the media that " a certain military officer who <unk> to become Assistant Army Commander " was planning a coup . 
