Thailand's "smooth as silk" coup hits no turbulence
By Peter Janssen, dpa
Bangkok (dpa) - Thailand has arguably taken coup-making to new heights
of non-violence, judging by the peaceful response to Tuesday's
bloodless blitzkrieg that toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
from power and put a junta in command of the kingdom.
Thai Army Commander-in-Chief Sonthi Boonyaratklin brought troops and
tanks into Bangkok Tuesday night and took over the country without
firing a shot, putting a junta in power that has promised to hand over
the reins of government to a cabinet of appointed civilians within two
weeks and hold a general election within a year.
"I have seen 15 coups myself in the past 30 years and this was the
easiest one yet," said Luzi Matzig, a long time resident in Thailand
who runs Asia Travels, a tour agency. "A smooth-as-silk kind of coup,"
quipped Matzig, playing on Thailand's national airline's advertising
slogan "THAI - Smooth as Silk."
By Thursday most of the tanks had been removed from the capital and the
remaining soldiers posted at shopping malls and intersections had to
contend with mobs of tourists trying to have their photos taken with
the helmeted heroes, rather than irate Thaksin supporters.
According to an opinion survey conducted by Suan Dusit Rajabhat
University, some 82 per cent of the people polled in Bangkok were in
favour of the coup and, even more surprising, 86 per cent supported it
in the provinces.
Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party has won the past three elections with
handsome majorities, so one wonders where all those supporters have
gone in the aftermath of the coup.
Some, obviously, have gone abroad.
Thaksin's most steadfast supporter, his wife Pojaman, took a flight to
Singapore on Tuesday night accompanied by their son Panthongtae and
youngest daughter Paethongtarn. The family has reportedly been reunited
in London, where Thaksin arrived Wednesday from New York and where his
eldest daughter Pimthongta is studying.
They are all staying in an apartment building that Thaksin, a billionaire, recently bought in London.
Several of Thaksin's political allies, such as former agriculture
minister Sudarat Keyuraphan and former finance minister Somkid
Jatusripitak are also abroad, currently in France.
Other close allies are under army detention in Bangkok, such as former
deputy premier Chidchai Vanasatidya and close ally Prommin Lertsuidej.
Newin Chidchob and Yongyudh Tiyapairat, two former Thaksin advisors,
turned themselves in to the Administrative Reform Council, as the junta
has styled itself, on Thursday.
But what about the 19 million Thais who voted for the Thai Rak Thai in the general election of February, last year?
Thaksin and his TRT were most popular in Thailand's northern and
northeastern provinces, where the majority of the country's rural poor
reside.
There are several practical reasons why these provincial supporters may
be keeping mum. For starters, the Administrative Reform Council has yet
to lift martial law, which prohibits public gatherings of more than
five people.
Secondly, any organized protest would require money to transport
demonstrators from the countryside to the capital, and with Thaksin out
of the country and his TRT in disarray, they are no longer in the
rent-a-crowd business.
Poor farmers are both too poor and too busy to spend money on demonstrations themselves.
The lack of pro-Thaksin uprisings in the countryside may also shed light on the nature of the ousted premier's past popularity.
"If you have money in Thailand you are popular, and Thaksin gave away a
lot of money," said Kraisak Choonhavan, a former senator and son of
former prime minister who was similarly popular in the impoverished
north-east.
"My father's popularity stemmed from the fact that when he had rallies
he paid people to come," acknowledged Kraisak. "Thaksin was no
different."
The mood of Thailand's rural voters may also been affected by the
months of anti-Thaksin protests this year that have exposed many of
Thaksin's dubious business deals and controversial governance style.
"Most northeasterners still support Thai Rak Thai but they think
Thaksin should have quit. He has failed to clear up many of the
accusations against him," said Paiboon Paengsoi, a TRT supporter from
Khon Kaen province.
Thaksin not only won the animosity of Bangkok's middle class this year,
he also came under heavy criticism from the country's elite, including
former premier Prem Tinsulanonda, who now heads the Privy Council of
Thailand's much-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Prem in several public speeches this year questioned Thaksin's moral
qualifications to rule and in one speech reminded the military that
their leader was the king, not an elected prime minister.
General Sonthi, in justifying his Tuesday coup, included Thaksin's
efforts to undermine the monarchy. The junta was quick to get a royal
endorsement of their temporary government Wednesday night, although as
head of state, King Bhumibol is duty-bound to endorse all new
governments.
When asked to explain the overwhelming support for Tuesday's coup,
despite Thaksin's one-time popularity, senior TRT member and former
government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair, noted, "Thailand is a
king-centric country."
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