A very user-friendly coup.
 

Well then, we wake up to all sorts of international reactions and official condemnations and stories of SWAT-clad troops all over the place..

But in fact, what do we have? We have the anti-Thaksin faction in charge without a shot fired. Their troops wearing yellow and blue ribbons to demarcate them from the pro-Thaksin camp. The pro-Thaksin camp are only that because he put his family in charge of the best fiefdoms in the military. Pro-Thaksin opposition to the coup has melted like snow in a microwave oven and natives and foreigners alike are dressing the tanks up in roses and other flowers.

Normal services were resumed on nearly all fronts today.

Here in Hat Yai, the southern capital, there has been almost no sign at all that anything had occurred, except that the ATMs ran out of cash in a New York second, the moment the coup became public.

Interesting times and definitely my kind of coup.
Gavin

To be honest with you, I wouldn't have known that anything went down if a friend of mine hadn't called to tell me. I still haven't seen a single troop, tank, or automatic weapon, and I've been to most of the central areas in BKK including Suan Lum/Lumpini. I never go over to the Democracy Monument side unless I have to, so as I said I would have never known that anything happened. The streets and shopping malls to seem a little sparse compared to normal, but I like it that way. Traffic has never been better!

Off the subject a bit… I saw the first iPod Nano second gen. in BKK over at Fortune Tower. I didn't ask how much, but I'd guess it's marked up more than I care to pay. Most of the big stores are still waiting for them to arrive, but this shop is tiny and I'm guessing they just snuck a few in through the airport.

What are the new bosses llikely to be like, politically speaking?

Minor changes, big changes, unknown?

insert cliche che guevara quote

not sarcasm:

What are the chances of getting pictures of this?

Glad the BKK gents are alright
 

Been wondering since seeing the news the other morning how the two BKK gentlemen were faring. Watching the posts here seemed to indicate that you were okay. :)

ThreeBKK, my 2nd gen nano arrived this afternoon. :D

Charging it up now. And I haven't even scratched it yet! Never had ipod before, couldn't justify the expense. Only got the 2G model. Probably plenty for my purposes. By the time I'll run out of space, I'll be tired of listening to some of the stuff, so will just change out the playlists.

One nice thing about itunes 7 over 6.0.5 is that the music which resides on my external drive shows up consistently now with the exclamation point denoting it's elsewhere.

Anyway, glad to hear that things are smooth for you two.

Everything is going smooth for me, thanks for the thought.

New Bosses:

This is a transitional council, now endorsed by the King, who intend to have a transitional civvy PM in place within two weeks. The Coup leader had wanted to negotiate with the southern separatists (himself being a Muslim and the first ever Muslim CinC.) but Thaksin had forbidden this and then sacked him. Had he allowed negotiations, I may not be sitting here now with shrapnel in my head, so my interest in the current proceedings has a personal angle.

Thaksin had placed so many cronies in high places (Electoral Commission and Constitutional Court, etc. that he made the mistake of thinking he was untouchable. Ha. He has ridden roughshod over the relatively new Constitution and the new Council for Democratic Reform have a stated intention to appoint respected elders to revisit the Constitution and tighten up any loopholes to try and prevent this kind of wanton abuse of power happening again. It is hard to imagine a national army as the saviour of democracy, but that actually may be the case here. There is a saying amongst the expats here: TIT. This Is Thailand. This place operates quite unlike anywhere else on the planet and, by and large, works. Politically Neutral is the CDRs current stance and I sincerely hope it stays that way.

Bedecked Tanks:

Bangkokpost.com, bbc.co.uk and Google "The Nation" newspaper and these images are all over the place. These tanks are mostly M41 Walker Bulldogs, a light tank of the Korean War era - museum pieces maybe, but ideal for urban deployments. More when we know it, then.
Gavin

Truly an amazing situation to be in. You guys are experiencing something that I'll probably never have a full grasp on and appreciate fully.

I don't mean to pry, but can you elaborate?

We had a six-device, terrorist bomb attack, here in Hat Yai on Saturday night and I got injured by the 3rd device, getting some shrapnel in the head. I am hoping to be let out of this hospital this weekend and go back to BKK to see a team of specialist surgeons, who will decide if they can get it out, Hope so, or I will be setting off airport metal detectors for years.

Bummer.
Gavin

Ouch!
 

I wish you all the best!

Been watching the unfolding story, trying to read between the lines. Haven’t seen much in Western media that describes the thinking and motivation of the real powers that be. I used to draw portraits and am pretty good at reading faces – Thaksin unnerved me from the moment I first saw his photo five or six years ago.

I once saw a highly descriptive bumper sticker (American): "Support democracy. Buy a politician." Seems that Thaksin, and backers who have denounced the peaceful, democracy-restoring Thai coup, are the ones with the largest budget by far.

Really appreciate your first-hand account. Hope to hear more.

Gavin, best of luck with the surgeons. That’s not the most comfortable way to take your iron supplement!

– ArcticStones

Ha! yes, a guy with that kind of money who wants yet more always had to be a worry. His budget was huge - elections are bought and sold in the NE province here, that being the most populous, hence his "popular support in the countryside".

Supplements? Yes indeed, mine probably has Suzuki, or Honda stamped, on it somewhere - they do motorcycle bombs here.

Maybe I can catch up with ThreeBKK next week and we cangive you all [or is that All Y'All? :-)] a precis of the latest position?

Cheers Arctic,

Gavin

If they operate and remove the shrapnel be sure to save it. Don't let them keep it or dispose of it. Doctors love to archive the things that they take out of patients.

This is absolutely the most amazing thread ever on these forums.

I wish you the best, Gavin. When you get out of the hospital, you'd better post about it. ;)

Wow. I don't have much to say other than good luck, hopefully things go well with your country and you personally.

Not so smooth as I thought. Your macbook was in the hospital this month and now you too. Hopefully neither you nor the macbook having intermittent shut downs. :(

Gavin, all the best to you. Get out soon.

All quiet up here in Isaan. The following thread has some privately taken photos of some coup scenes:

Teak Door Coup Photos

That made me laugh out loud and that hurts - excellent. I had this mental image of me having a "random shutdown". That made my day - thanks. Thanks also for your best wishes people, it really is appreciated.

I got out yesterday and am waiting for my "allowed to fly" date of Tuesday. I will ask them to keep the item - if they decide to take it out. maybe post a piccy of it...? :-)

Meanwhile - and back on topic - I am in Songkhla town and spent last night having a few quiet beers and catching up with a few old mates and watching the, er, won't mention the score, er, um, Ryder Cup... It really is hard to believe that we are under martial law here at the moment. The only difference we are aware of here is that any villains perpetrating anything will just be shot. That said (and this is so very Thai) there is no-one here to shoot them! :-)

More later, when there is something to tell.
Thanks again people.
Gavin

Junta website.
 

For those interested, there CDR have launched a website, chronicling the most user-friendly coup ever. Lots of pics.

Have a look at:

http://www.vrcu.com/index_en.asp

Only in Thailand.
:-)
Gavin

I read every word – on the English site, mind you! What strikes me is the apparent sincerity of the CDR, especially its leader, General Sonthi Boonyaratgli. These clearly are not propagandistic musing.

Never before have I heard of a junta allowing (and then proudly publishing) an independent public opinion poll on their takeover.

Not a single violent incident. No public opposition (and the only foreign denouncement I’ve noted is by the US Government). No detrimental effect on the Thai stock market or the value of the Baht...

Astonishing!

Coup Update.
 

I saw my first military vehicle yesterday. An M35 two and a half ton truck. No one in it and not a gun in sight.

Get this: The CDR had to issue an edict to the army, reminding soldiers that they shouldn't give their guns to tourists for photo ops!

You've got to love it here.
Gavin

The interim constitution and interim Prime Minister selection will be presented to the King tomorrow for approval.

Time will tell if the generals stay out of domestic affairs, as promised.

Hmmm, don’t recall anything like that after 9-11. But come to think of it, I have heard that the guns of people guarding US airports, by and large, contained no live ammo -- lest this pose a security risk.

It must be great to be a Thai soldier and to be received as a hero everywhere, simply because the armed forces got rid of a corrupt regime.

But it’s amazing they did it with no violence, no blood, no shots fired (as far as I know), and with astonishingly little domestic muscle flexing.

All honour to them!