Thais living in Hawai'i who spoke to The Advertiser say they aren't fretting about the consequences of a military coup.

Sukrit Cholvanich, a master's in business administration student at Hawai'i Pacific University, said he was surprised by the coup but believes the military acted properly.

Cholvanich, president of Thai Students of HPU, said he spent much of yesterday monitoring the developments on a Thai news site on the Internet.

If the military had not acted, he said, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra likely would have been re-elected and there would have been a heightened concern about violence. Many have been calling for Thaksin to resign amid accusations of corruption and abuse of power.

"I'm not that worried at all," Cholvanich said. "(The military) just wants to come in and clear the sides and avoid the violence that might have happened in the future."

Ichaya Danapong, president of the Thai Cultural Association, said the news was not a surprise. Tension among Thai nationals never has been as strong as in recent months, she said.

"Therefore, everyone knew something was going to happen," she said. "We knew that something needed to be done."

Thais are generally peace-loving people, she said, adding she has no doubt the military will hold democratic elections once order and calm can be assured.

University of Hawai'i-Manoa student Daoden Laopha said he was pleased with the decision of the generals.

"There are many negative sides to this government, especially the prime minister and his family," Laopha said, a reference to the $1.9 billion sale of the Thaksin family's stake in a holding company only days after parliament passed a bill making such a transaction exempt from taxes.

Finn Obyam, a 24-year-old HPU graduate student in communications, said she hopes a new prime minister will be elected who can turn around a stagnant economy.

"Most of the people in Thailand, they don't want the prime minister," Obyam said. "We need someone who can make Thailand better than it is because the economy is not good."

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.