Well it looks like it is all a done deal. The information we have is that the army and police are united and in control of the country and PM Thaksin and his cabinet are either out of the country, under arrest or in hiding. Borders are closed today, and today is an official holiday for government workers, stock exchange and banks.
The reasons given for the coup were to save the country from:
- Unprecedented national divisons that were getting no better and were going to result in violence.
- Political interference by the administration in all of the check and balance institutions that resulted in them being unable to conduct the work they were intended to do.
- Mass corruption in the administration.
- Statements by the administration bordering on lese majeste.
The Administrative Reform Council comprising 6 top generals and led by army chief General Sonthi have stated that a civilain government will be in place within 2 weeks.
more below
The best English language Thai analysis can be found at: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/index_lite.php
Martial law has been declared and gatherings of more than 5 people for political mmeetings have been banned. The media is facing censorship in the short term. The 1997 Thai Constitution has been suspended, or maybe repealed. The constitutional court has been dissolved as has parliament and the cabinet.
The ARC have promised that elections will be organized where vote buying and intimidation will not be allowed.
In Bangkok, where anti-Thaksin feeling has been high the soldiers have been generally well greeted being given food etc. The popularity of the coup also spreads over Southern and Eastern Thailand where there are many smiling happy people at the moment. That the coup is popular with many Thai pro-democracy activists may surprise people in the west, but is a reflection of how the systematic corruption of democracy can lead to a dictatoship that cannot be dealt with through democratic means, or at least so in the case of the fledgling democracy of Thailand.
The coup appears to have been totally bloodless, and very well organized.
There is some speculation that the head of the Bank of Thailand wil be appointed acting PM soon.
There will no doubt be many more developments over the next few hours.
Update [2006-9-21 0:2:46 by observer393]:
Update 1
Apparently a civilian interim government within 2 weeks and elections in about one year after the drafting of a new constitution. It looks like PM Thaksin is seeking asylum in London. Many government ministers seemingkly fled the country on Tuesday after the military commanders didnt show for a video conference with the PM in the early morning.
Update [2006-9-21 0:2:46 by observer393]:
Update 2
The auditor general Khunying Jaruvan has had her status reaffirmed. This is the woman the government fought tooth and nail to get rid of as she had an independent reputation. No doubt investigations into gvernment corruption will continue to completion.
Update [2006-9-21 0:2:46 by observer393]:
Update 3. It seems the grip on power is complete and that the ARC has been recognized as the government by the King. Speculation will turn to who will be appointed to the main ministries in the transitional government over the coming days. A poll taken yesterday showed 82% support for the coup in Bangkok and more interetingly 86% support in the rural areas where Thaksin was supposedly incredibly popular.
The TV is back to normal with the occaisional cut from a foreign news program when mention is made of the monarchy or sometimes Thaksin.
Two ex ministers Newin and Yongyuth have been ordered to report to the military by noon today although they have probably fled the country. They were noth quite notorious. Newin was supposedly linked to organizing drunken mobs to attack opponents of Thaksin. The most famous cases being the surrounding of the Nation newspaper building by a mob that allegedly threatened to rape any woman who came out. His mobs also managed to beat up a five year old child at one point recently.
Yongyuth better known as Yuth “dooyen” (refrigerator) in Thailand was in charge of the forestry department and his workers were often associated with violent attacks on opponents of Thaksin at gatherings around the country. Supposedly he was also involved in arming and training a large group of them as a kind of militia although the military recently demanded the weapons. His most famous exploit and the one that earned him his nickname occurred during the rather violent government crackdown on drug dealers. He took journalists with him as he led a group of heavily armed police to what he described as a major drug dealers hideout. On arrival the traditional wooden house was sprayed with machine gun fire. As the fire died down an octagenerian couple staggered out through the gunsmoke with their hands held high. They had been saved from death only by hiding in, or behind? a new refrigerator that relatives had given them. Their connection to the drug industry……?
When listening to western criticism of the overthrow of a “democratically elected” government, it is worth bearing in mind stories like these that have a profound effect on local people although I doubt they get mentioned much outside the copuntry they occur in.
Update [2006-9-21 2:14:29 by observer393]:
Update 4
It turned out both Newin and Yongyuth were in the country and have surrendered to the military. On arrival at the army HQ Newin tried to greet reporters but was welcomed with choruses of dictator, and boos.
Update [2006-9-23 4:43:33 by observer393]:
Final Update for this diary: Everything seems to have settled down and The Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy as the new government is known have selected a national counter corruption commision, which has a backlog of 10,000 complaints against the previous government to get working on. The auditor general is also working flat out on corruption cases. A new civilian government will probably be in place by September 30. The new PM will probably be either an economist to satisfy the business community or a lawyer as politcal reform will be the most important task of this one year government.
