BANGKOK, Sept 21 (SPA) - Ousted Thai Prime MinisterThaksin Shinawatra called on Thursday for swift generalelections in Thailand where army coup leaders have bannedpolitical party meetings and "political activities". Thaksin, in a statement from London two days after he was removed in a bloodless coup, urged all parties to work for national reconciliation "for the sake of our King and country." "He hopes the new regime will quickly arrange a new general election and continue to uphold the principles of democracy for the future of all Thai," said the statement handed to reporters outside the London apartment where Thaksin is staying. It said the billionaire telecoms tycoon, who won twolandslide elections before facing an anti-corruption streetcampaign a year ago, would take a deserved rest. In Bangkok, the coup leaders tightened restrictions onpolitical parties, but gave no sense of how long they wouldlast. "To ensure the constitutional monarchy is functioning after reforms have been completed, the Council for Democratic Reform Under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) has ordered political parties to halt all meetings and political activities," it was quoted as saying by Reuters. In the same order, read out on television, the coup leadersbanned the formation of new parties. No more details weregiven.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/391352