Coup in Thailand
By The Thai military launched a coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday night, circling his offices with tanks, seizing control of TV stations and declaring a provisional authority pledging loyalty to the king.
Rumors of a coup swept Bangkok today as the Thai military blocked the area around Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s office with tanks.
An announcement on Thai television declared that a “Council of Administrative Reform” with King Bhumibol Adulyadej as head of state had seized power in Bangkok and nearby provinces without any resistance.
Fortunately, most coup attempts in Thailand avoid serious violence, although there are exceptions. As the BBC notes, the declaration of loyalty to the King tells us nothing whatsoever about the origin of the coup or its purposes, as the King is wildly popular with virtually all Thais.
More as events warrant. Initial thoughts? Any Thai experts out there?
…as always, the BBC is infinitely more valuable as a news source than any US outlet. See here, here, and here.
…as Atrios notes, it isn’t yet clear whether this is a “good” coup that will further Bush’s interpretation of US interests and thus win the applause of wingnuts everywhere, or a “bad” coup. The cause of the coup seems to be largely domestic and organizational, although the Thai military has been doing some anti-terrorist work in the south. In comments Erik reminds us that while military coups are clearly an anti-democratic method for changing governments (and can be especially damaging when used often), they do not always result in the installation of military governments or authoritarian rule. In this case, regardless of the outcome, a quick return to some form of parliamentary democracy is quite likely.
…Loomis has more.