Story Highlights • NEW: Speculation grows on potential candidates for interim PM
• First political protests staged in Bangkok against coup
• Coup leaders prepare probe of alleged corruption of ousted PM
• Deposed Thaksin says he will take "deserved rest;" urges new elections
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BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- In the wake of this week's military coup in Thailand, former central bank Governor Chatumongol Sonakul is favored to become the country's interim civilian leader, The Bangkok Post newspaper said Saturday.
An appointment will be made by September 30, the paper said.
Thai army chief Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who led the military group that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup on Tuesday, has already said he would appoint an interim prime minister within two weeks and the military would then step back.
On Friday, Sonthi, who earlier received the endorsement of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, took part in a nationally broadcast ceremony that formalized the monarch's backing, The Associated Press reported.
Friday also saw the first isolated protests in Bangkok against the coup.
The Post newspaper, citing highly placed sources, said Chatumongol Sonakul was regarded as among the best-qualified for the interim job because of his monetary and fiscal expertise as well as his recognition in the world community.
The British-educated technocrat led the Bank of Thailand from 1998 to 2001, when he was sacked by Thaksin in a dispute over interest rate policy, Reuters news agency reported.
Other potential candidates are said to be Supreme Administrative Court President Ackaratorn Chularat, former World Trade Organization chief Supachai Panitchpakdi and central bank boss Pridiyathorn Devakula.
Thaksin was in New York at the U.N. General Assembly at the time of the coup, but he is now in London, England.
On Friday, the coup leaders said they had completed setting up a nine-member commission to review corruption accusations made against the ousted billionaire leader.
They also sacked police officials tied to the former prime minister.
Political ban
Additionally, the coup leaders banned political activity and detained four top members from Thaksin's administration.
More than 100 protesters defied the ban on public gatherings and denounced the coup, gathering in small groups Friday outside a Bangkok shopping mall.
Speaking in London on Thursday, Thaksin urged the military to quickly arrange fresh elections.
Sonthi earlier had promised to restore democracy as soon as possible.
The four ministers detained were former Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit; Newin Chidchob, the minister attached to the prime minister's office; Yongyut Tiyapairat, the minister of Natural Resources and Environment; and Cabinet Secretary General Prommin Lertsuridej.
The announcement of the arrests came Thursday, the same day the junta said it was banning all political meetings and the registration of new political parties.
The junta said the action was taken to maintain peace and order. It did not give a time frame.
"To ensure the constitutional monarchy is functioning after reforms have been completed, the Political Reform Council has ordered political parties to halt all meetings and political activities," it said in a statement read on television, Reuters said.
In a nationally televised address Wednesday, Sonthi declared the coup d'etat complete and promised power would be returned to the people as soon as possible. (Watch how army took over without a shot -- 1:16 )
He said his new ruling council "has so far received cooperation from all sectors of Thai society without any resistance."
Thaksin 'resting'
Speaking from London, Thaksin said Thursday he would take a "deserved rest." (Full story)
In a statement handed by an aide to reporters, Thaksin urged "all parties to find ways and means to reconcile and work toward national reconciliation for the sake of our king and country."
Meanwhile, an exiled Muslim rebel leader on Thursday welcomed the Thaksin overthrow, saying the coup could help resolve a bloody Islamic insurgency in the country's south, The Associated Press reported.
"It is the right thing that the military has taken power to replace the Thaksin Shinawatra government," said Lukman B. Lima, an exiled leader in one of several groups fighting the central government for a separate Muslim state.
"We hope that the political [situation] can be resolved under Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin as the new leader," Lukman said.
Sonthi, 59, known to be close to Thailand's constitutional monarch, is a Muslim in a Buddhist-dominated nation. (Read a profile of Sonthi)
He was selected last year to head the army, partly because it was felt he could better deal with the Muslim insurgency in the south, where 1,700 people have been killed since 2004.
He has urged negotiations with the separatists, in contrast to Thaksin's hard-line approach.
Meanwhile, political uncertainty flowing from the coup has prompted investment bank Morgan Stanley to cut its Thai GDP growth forecast sharply. (Full story)
Thailand now has had 18 coups since World War II. Rumors of the latest had been swirling around Bangkok in recent weeks as Thaksin battled considerable pressure to step down.
The telecommunications billionaire has been accused of abusing the country's system of checks and balances and bending government policy to benefit his family's business.
He had called elections in April, three years early. But the country's constitutional court ruled that vote was unconstitutional, and a new round of balloting had been scheduled for November.
CNN's Narunart Prapanya, Dan Rivers and Richard Roth contributed to this report
Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
Outside view of the Siam Paragon Shopping Centers in Bangkok, Thailand.
Amid fears of being arrested for breaking the military ban on protests and political gatherings, over 100 people have protested, without any immediate arrests in front of Siam Center in downtown Bangkok.

Although media reports that no arrests have been made, a video posted on a blog shows a protester being interviewed by a foreign reporter, claiming that 7 protesters have been arrested.

Siam Center is the shopping mall directly to the west of Siam Paragon.  The protest was originally supposed to take place in front of Siam Paragon.

The protesters wore black to symbolize the death of democracy and held banners criticizing the coup.

Some of the protesters came from a group whose website, www.19sept.org, was previously shut down by the junta for breaking martial law because it criticized the coup.

Giles Ungphakorn, a political scientist from Chulalongkorn University, said: "We believe we speak for a significant number of Thais who are too worried or too afraid to speak.".  When information was spreading about the gathering, earlier that day, some were cautioned not to attend.

There are contradictions found in the two first reports by thai media about the protest.  The Nation claims that nearly 100 people protested, while The Bangkok Post claims that the number is only 20.  The Nation claims that police had recorded the protest on video, while The Bangkok Post claims that only Siam Center security guards were present.

Due to censorship ordered on thai television by the junta, the protest was not shown on thai television.  CNN has shown video footage of the protest, however, the thai cable company that broadcasts CNN within Thailand blocks all footage from CNN that talks about the coup.

Although protests are banned by the junta, as are political gatherings of more than 5 people, a deputy commander said: "police had recorded the protest on video and would examine the tape to see if protesters had broken martial law forbidding an assembly of more than five people for political purposes."  It is unknown whether the police or junta will later arrest those it has recorded breaking martial law on video.