Sept. 20, 2006 - 17:39 MDT

TAKES YER CHOICE

Unsettling news in the Rocky Mountain News this morning. An article by Dennis D. Gray of the Associated Press tells the news, herewith quoted in full:

COUP IN THAILAND

As prime minister visits U.N., military loyal to king steps in

BANGKOK, THAILAND -- In the dead of night and without firing a shot, Thailand's military overthrew popularly elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday amid mounting criticism that he had undermined democracy."

The sudden well orchestrated coup -- the first in 15 years and a throwback to an unsettled era in Thailand -- was likely to spark both enthusiasm and criticism at home and abroad. The military said it soon would return power to a democratic government but did not say when."

"Striking when Thaksin was in New York at the U.N. General Assembly; army commander Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin sent tanks and troops into the drizzly, nightime streets of Bangkok. The military ringed Thaksin's offices, seized control of television stations and declared a provisional authority loyal to the king.

In his first public appearance since seizing power, Sondhi today asked for the public's support and declared the coup was necessary to end serious conflicts with Thai society that Thaksin had created."

"Delivering a brief television address in front of giant portals of Thailand's King and queen, Sondhi said the coup leaders had no intention of retaining power. He was flanked by chief of the three armed services and the head of the national police."

"The coup leaders declared martial law, revoked the constitution and ordered all troops not to leave duty stations without premission from their commanders. The stock exchange was to be closed wednesday, along with schools, banks and government offices."

"Bankok's normally bustling streets emptied out early today, from shopping stalls to red-light districts, as Thais and toruists learned of the coup."

"Across the capital, Thais who trickled out onto barren streets welcomed the surprise turn of events as a necessary climax to months of demands for Thaksin to resign amid allegations of corruption, electoral skullduggery and a worsening Muslim insurgency."

"A few dozen people raced to the prime minister's office to take pictures of tanks surrounding the area."

"This is exciting. Someone had to do this. It's the right thing," said Somboon Sukheviriya, 45, a software developer snapping pictures of the armored vehicles."

"The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying it hoped Thailand could resolve its political differences with democratic principles and "We are monitoring the situation with concern."

"Sondhi, who is known to be close to Thailand's revered contstitutional monarch, will serve as acting prime minister, army spokesman Col. Akarat Chitroj said. Sondhi, well-regarded within the military, is a Muslim in this Buddhist-dominated nation."

"Sondi, 59, was selected last year to head the army partly because it was felt he could better deal with the Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand, where 1,700 people have been killled since 2004."

+++++++++++++++

An article in the business section adds a bit of information. Quoting in part an article by Ellen Simon of the Associated Press: "Traders watching Thailand closely are certain to remember how trouble in the kingdom had worldwide implication in the past.: The Asia currency crisis that erupted in 1997 began with the devaluation of the Thai baht, then snowballed into a currency crisis in emerging markets around the world."

"The baht fell sharply Tuesday, as did Brazil's real, which also tumbled in the '97 crisis."

"Thailand, usually one of Southeast Asia's most stable countries, has been in a state of political flux this year after massive rallies forced Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to dissolve Parilament."

++++++++++++++++

So, something is up in the Southeast Asia state of "Demmark". Chang Mai (?sp?) the baliwick of the warlords when I was in Thailand in the seventies was actively handling drug traffic and was left alone by the Thai government. Don't know whether that changed or not. And then the more or less organized sex trade in Thailand is well known.

Question in my mind is whether the Thai government is up to keeping things democratic or not ?

Through my life I have read of military seizing power, claiming it would retore freedom and order, not saying when it would be done, and for the most part never lived up to their words.

Much like the carnival atmosphere, I can hear the calliope music on the midway and hear the barker at the wheel of fortune growling out, "Round and round she goes, where she stops nobody knows - - - ya pays yer money, and TAKES YER CHOICE" . . . . . . . . . .

Blog