1.
GV House of late General Arun Thavakrasini, Bangkok, Thailand.
0.05

2.
SV Troops outside house.
0.08

3.
SV Wreath
0.14

4.
SV Arun's wife talking to relatives.
0.18

5.
SV Relations performing hand-washing ceremony over Arun's body.
0.42

6.
SVs AND GV Relatives and army officers wash body's hand. (3 shots)
1.17



Initials VS 23.30



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: It's been announced in Thailand that five army officers accused of leading Saturday's (26 March) abortive coup will be tried by military court. A senior Thai general Thavakrasini, died in the 12-hour uprising - the lone victim of a short-lived rebellion. He was buried on Sunday (27 March).

SYNOPSIS: The funeral service was held at the General's home in the capital, Bangkok. There was heavy security as relatives arrived to pay their last respects. The Thai government said General Arun was apparently shot dead by the rebels because he refused to join them.

General Chalard Haranyasiri has been named by the government as leader of the abortive coup. The General is a former deputy army commander, and leader of the Thai troops which fought in Vietnam. He was said to have been assisted in the rebellion by his son, who's an army major, and three other middle-ranking army officers.

The government originally announced that it was letting the rebels leave the country in exchange for the release of two senior generals who were being held hostage. But Taiwan, where they had booked a flight, refused to accept them as "undesirables". The charges against the five have yet to be announced. If charged with treason, they face the maximum penalty - execution.