New Thai PM to be announced on Oct 1

The junta, however, has not yet chosen the person to replace ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thailand's junta will name a new prime minister this weekend, but the generals have not yet decided who they want to take the job, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

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The junta leader, General Sondhi Boonyaratglin, "is scheduled to have a royal audience on Saturday to submit the interim Constitution for royal approval, and the name of the new prime minister will be announced one day after," Major General Thawip Netniyom told the agency.

But he said the junta had not yet chosen the person to replace ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

"As of today, it's unclear who will become the next prime minister," he said.

The Constitution, however, is already complete and comprises 39 articles, Thawip added.

The junta has promised to issue an interim Constitution and to name a civilian prime minister within two weeks of their September 19 coup.

They then plan to launch a process to write a permanent Constitution to replace the one they tossed out when they took power and imposed martial law. Sonthi has vowed to hold elections in October 2007.

The leading contenders to become prime minister include the respected former army boss General Surayud Chulanont and the former World Trade Organisation chief Supachai Panitchpakdi, according to Thai media.