New Thai PM attempts to mend US ties

Thailand's newly-appointed interim Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont has spent his first day trying to mend bridges with the United States, which has been a vocal critic of the military coup 13 days ago.

After receiving a blessing from a senior monk, retired General Surayud went in search of international approval at the US embassy.

Relations between Thailand and the US have been strained since the military takeover and last week the US withdrew military funding of $32 million.

Today the US seems to have been reassured that democracy will be quickly restored.

The Council for Democratic Reform which staged the coup, has now become the Council for National Security.

General Surayud will start to assemble his Cabinet in the coming days.

The armed forces are expected to control at least two ministries, that of defence and the interior ministry - reflecting the ongoing concerns about security.