French President Francois Hollande Thursday condemned the Thai army coup, his office reported in a statement.
"(Hollande) calls for an immediate return to constitutional order and the organization of an electoral process," Xinhua quoted the statement as adding.
The president also called for the respect of Thai people's fundamental rights and freedoms amid persistent tensions in this Southeast Asia's second biggest economy.
The Thai military Thursday staged a coup d'etat to overthrow an elected government and parliament and abolish the constitution following months of an unresolved political conflict.
Under the name of the National Peacekeeping Council, the military seized power and detained protest leaders, caretaker cabinet ministers and leading politicians at an army barracks.
It was done after the leaders failed to reach agreement to end the seven-month-long political crisis.
