The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday warned its nationals in Thailand to be careful and avoid going outside in the wake of an overnight military coup in the country.

The Thai army launched a coup Tuesday night to oust Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is attending the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Foreign Ministry also suggested that Chinese nationals planning to go to Thailand in the near future watch the situation and adjust their travel plans accordingly.

It said if Chinese citizens needed help, they could contact the Chinese embassy in Bangkok, and the ministry's consulate department had opened a 24-hour hotline for Chinese citizens to inquire about family and friends in Thailand.

The sudden, well-orchestrated and bloodless coup has sparked criticism, concern, unease and uncertainty in the international community.

At the UN, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday that military coups should not be encouraged, referring to what had happened in Thailand.

Thailand is a major tourist destination for Chinese with 700,000 to 800,000 Chinese traveling there every year.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2006)