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  • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 19 2006 10:00 PM

Thailand Falls

Submitted by legionnaire

Edited by Rahodeb

Tags: Thailand, coup

Thailand's prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, was given the boot today in a bloodless coup led by General Boonyaratkalin, head of the Thai armed forces.

An army spokesman in Thailand says a general who has close ties to the country's king will serve as Thailand's acting prime minister.

This, after the army commander staged a coup and ousted the country's prime minister while the leader was in New York for the UN General Assembly session. The prime minister (Thaksin Shinawatra) had been scheduled to address the General Assembly later Tuesday, but that speech has now been canceled.

Back home, the army commander has declared martial law, and has revoked the constitution. He's surrounded the prime minister's offices with tanks.

The general who's been named as acting prime minister, Sondi Boonyaratkalin, is a Muslim in a country that is dominated by Buddhists.

In a statement on national TV, the new leaders say they took power without a struggle, and are asking for the cooperation of the public. The military says a provisional authority loyal to the country's king Bhumibol Adulyadej will soon return power to a democratic government.


Boonyaratkalin is on record saying "military coups are a thing of the past." Apparently not, although hopefully his pledge to return governmental control to elected officials is sincere; PM Thaksin has been weathering a brutal storm of criticism from what were widely perceived as his abuses of power, particularly in his family's sale of Shin Corp. stock earlier this year that netted them almost two billion dollars, that just happened to be tax free. Go figure? Being head of state has its perks.

Thaksin said he would step down after protests threatened to tear the country apart and a general election failed to gain even 20% of the required constitutional votes necessary for incumbents to retain office, leaving Thaksin in the "caretaker" Prime Minister position until the situation could be resolved. Seven months later he still hadn't left.

While coups are usually not a good thing, neither are corrupt democracies that refuse to respect the will of the electorate. Better times may lie ahead for Thailand.

 
Comments
Noctua

Noctua

Palo Alto, CA
February 2004

SEP 19, 2006 10:31 PM

I read somewhere today that this is the 18th coup in Thailand since 1932. Are they sure the military taking over now and then isn't in the constitution?

Max16Characters

Max16Characters

Korea, Republic Of
March 2003

SEP 19, 2006 10:38 PM

It's so strange. I was just there last month! I hope it stays peaceful. From every thing i've heard, the city fok hate the PM and the country folk love him. It will be interesting to see how this whole thing works out.

Lior

Lior

United Kingdom
August 2005

SEP 19, 2006 10:40 PM

I was meant to be in Thailand this week, but had a change of plans. Kinda happy Im not there now.

spamtwo

spamtwo

United Kingdom
April 2006

SEP 19, 2006 10:54 PM

Lior said:
I was meant to be in Thailand this week, but had a change of plans. Kinda happy Im not there now.



You wern't meant to be going to Hungary as well were you? tongue

Lycoris

Lycoris

Toronto, ON
October 2005

SEP 20, 2006 12:10 AM

I guess only time will tell if the military leaders will actually step down or not. Here's hoping.

RudieCantFail

RudieCantFail

Baton Rouge, LA
January 2006

SEP 20, 2006 12:14 AM

Lycoris said:
I guess only time will tell if the military leaders will actually step down or not. Here's hoping.



+1

On the plus side for the Thai people, from what I've heard so far it's been a relatively bloodless coup, hopefully it'll stay that way.

blackroseMD1

blackroseMD1

Tacoma, WA
April 2003

SEP 20, 2006 01:47 AM

Thank God it was a bloodless coup. To bad we can't do that over here.

sickboyedd

sickboyedd

United Kingdom
January 2004

SEP 20, 2006 02:28 AM

blackroseMD1 said:
Thank God it was a bloodless coup. To bad we can't do that over here.



+1 here too, although it wouldn't be bloodless considering all the blood on Blairs hands...

sabishii_debiru

sabishii_debiru

Jacksonville, NC
July 2006

SEP 20, 2006 02:38 AM

This is horrible, I spent some time in Thailand working along side their military and their people. Still have many friends who live over there. The country was beautiful and I had some of my greatest memories in that country and was hoping to take a vaction over there soon, I just hope everything turns out ok so I can go back.

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