Thai government fears coup plan in the works
Lindsay Murdoch
SOUTH-EAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT FOR FAIRFAX MEDIA

BANGKOK: Thailand’s democratically elected government fears the country’s powerful military will be lured into staging a coup if anti-government protesters shut down Bangkok again next Monday.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is also facing legal challenges to her government's plans for a snap election on February 2, including the possible laying of charges against 381 MPs for trying to change the constitution last year.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission is deciding whether to lay charges against the MPs over a government bid to reform Thailand's Senate, which the Constitutional Court ruled on November 20 was unlawful. The country's upper house is made up of 76 elected members and 74 appointed ones, and the government had wanted to make it fully elected.

Sunisa Letphakkawat, a spokeswoman for the government, has raised suspicions about a “secret” plan by anti-government leaders to organise a small violent attack on protesters during the shutdown, which would set a coup in motion.

“If a coup happens, it would result from the [failings] of the government,” he said.

The highly politicised military, which has staged 18 coups or attempted coups since the 1930s, has emerged as a key player ahead of next week’s political showdown as Ms Yingluck’s grip on power becomes increasingly precarious.

Full story: http://www.smh.com.au/world/thai-government-fears-coup-plan-in-the-works-20140107-hv7q8.html

-- The Sydney Morning Herald 2014-01-07

A Coup? Now where on earth did they get that idea?

More stuff and nonsense from the government who are terrified that if they cannot get elected they will be exposed for what they are.

If the government is too weak and ineffectual to deal with the protestors then for sure a coup is the only way to fix that problem. Pro-Shinawatras can blame Suthep all they want but it was Poo's useless and corrupt government that allowed the situation to become so bad in the first place.

Now they can't disperse the crowds because the Shinawatra police are just as useless as their masters and they refuse to resign because they want to cling onto power. The army won't help them either. Right now, the only way this problem is going to be solved is with a coup with a military junta in charge for a couple of years while they try to force the Dems and the PTP to work together without Shinwatra interference.

Wow Now there is democracy for you. If the minority can't win an election then stage a coup and take control against the majority.

ok a coup ..... new election and the Red will still be elected as it has been for the last 20 years .... Democrats never won any election for a long time ... so what next ? coup after coup ....

Geez. Coups happen so often in Thailand they should just make it part of the election cycle. Every four years you're allowed to have a coup and start over again. 3 for every Chinese zodiac for those who are superstitious. Like having an enema every few years.

Why would they fear a coup? If they are as clean as they say, then they have nothing to worry about.

My view:

Funny how the PDRC, who sees themselves as ultra-royalists, goes against the decree by the king that elections are to be held on February 2:nd.

Defamation if there ever was?

All the posters from western democracies when they get to Thailand chuck it out the window in support of coups, forgetting about their own roots. They are the worst kind of hypocrits!

Hub of coup's, sounds like something new for TAT to promote.

More stuff and nonsense from the government who are terrified that if they cannot get elected they will be exposed for what they are.

You must be confused between the Government and the opposition. It is the opposition which is afraid not getting enough votes,that is the reason why the democrats boycott the snap election.

If the Opposition would not be scared to lose than they should go for the election. With the situation in Thailand today they may be would have a chance to gain votes and become an effective Opposition if not even win the election.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

All the posters from western democracies when they get to Thailand chuck it out the window in support of coups, forgetting about their own roots. They are the worst kind of hypocrits!

My country has never had a government as corrupt and incompetent as this one. If it did, I'd want a coup there too.

Even if there was a coup, do you think they would let Suthep control the government. No way. The military will do the same thing. Set up a government make a new constitution, have elections the Reds win again and fight to change the constitution. Same same but different.

Be afraid, be very very afraid. If they had been much more afraid, they may have been much less corrupt. I only wish I could say the same about their incompetence.

Wasn't that the plan from the very beginning, should be no surprise to anyone.

The highest powers will get their way- again!

TIT (This is Thailand)

Foreigners can not expect Thai's to adhear to Western Ways and Thinking.

Thai Culture and thinking is not the Same as the Western World.

True Western Democracy in Thailand ??????????

Why do you think there have been 18 Coups or attempted Coups in modern history ?

Pretty sure the Mlitary would not interveine in Politics if everything was going "smooth as silk" here.

Does that mean Yinglick will be joining her brother in exile?

The sad thing is, this country is all but ungovernable. Issan and the north won't accept a democrat lead government. The rest won't accept a government with links to the Shinawatras, especially Thaksin.

Wasn't that the plan from the very beginning, should be no surprise to anyone.

The highest powers will get their way- again!

only if 'the people' let them... which I suppose they will

the amart are very smart and cunning - i mean getting students to protest AGAINST democracy - now that IS an achievement that any old elite would be proud of!

I am not red and I am not yellow but just a fellow on the side line and in my opinion there are apparently to kind of democracy. There’s Thai democracy and there is free democracy which the rest of the world are using.

In Thailand Yinglock will win the next election and she will win again and again as long as her government use state money to pay overprice for rice and indirectly buy votes.

Somehow that doesn't seem fair

Wasn't that the plan from the very beginning, should be no surprise to anyone.

The highest powers will get their way- again!

only if 'the people' let them... which I suppose they will

the amart are very smart and cunning - i mean getting students to protest AGAINST democracy - now that IS an achievement that any old elite would be proud of!

Who needs a dictatorship when you have red democracy? Do you think the students are so dumb they can't see the fat leech bloating itself on the country's lifeblood?

It is too bad that in overseas coverage of the situation here, the reporters feel compelled to print a " secret " rumour spread by the administration, particularly when it serves their talking points. Indeed, the Yingluck administration is indeed concerned about a coup. But they need not base that on a rumour they would wish to be true. They need only look at the army, and its increasing distaste for how the administration is handling itself, to realize that that possibility exists. And it will become even more of a possibility if the administration violently tries to quell the protest. I don't think anyone truly believes the army wishes to get involved. Having said that, if the army felt at any point a need to intervene, it would be for one reason and one reason only - to protect the people. But certainly not the administration. It is the administration that will have unfettered access to 80,000 armed policemen now been trained in the north in riot prevention. The people of the streets will be armed with the clothes on their back and the whistles around their necks.

A Coup? Now where on earth did they get that idea?

The door is neither open nor close-d

Not at the top of the list overall but certainly the last 50-60 years Thailand sits proudly up there with such illustrious countries as:

Haiti

Syria

Sierra Leone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coups_d'état_and_coup_attempts_by_country

Says it all really they should be ashamed.

All the posters from western democracies when they get to Thailand chuck it out the window in support of coups, forgetting about their own roots. They are the worst kind of hypocrits!

Really hypocrites!!! the most often used insult out there. Just think of all the wonderful leaders in history who remained true to their youthful ideologies

Hitler. Boy he stayed true to his beliefs

Pol Pot. Unswavoring in his ideology

Mao. Never compromised an inch

Ian Paisely Not an Inch

Etc.....

Does that mean Yinglick will be joining her brother in exile?

I dunno... She certainly has a certain appeal to the people to the people of the North and N.E.. She'd be perfect for charity work and causes for the poor if she remained neutral and was willing to get her hands and her feet a bit dirty. She could be brilliant if she actually cared. Most of the anti government posters here see her as not really capable of leading a government. It's just not her thing to be honest and we feel a bit sorry for her. But she could in a neutral position do a lot of good. I think it would be a humbling experience in the beginning for her and I doubt that she would achieve the the status of Mother Teresa, but if she truly loves Thailand and Thai people, and if I was her adviser, that's what I'd tell her.

Do what's good for Thailand... Not for your Party or yourself.

If the government is too weak and ineffectual to deal with the protestors then for sure a coup is the only way to fix that problem. Pro-Shinawatras can blame Suthep all they want but it was Poo's useless and corrupt government that allowed the situation to become so bad in the first place.

Now they can't disperse the crowds because the Shinawatra police are just as useless as their masters and they refuse to resign because they want to cling onto power. The army won't help them either. Right now, the only way this problem is going to be solved is with a coup with a military junta in charge for a couple of years while they try to force the Dems and the PTP to work together without Shinwatra interference.

So this is what happens to people's political views when they live in Thailand for too long.....first time I have ever actually witnessed someone in support of a military junta.

All the posters from western democracies when they get to Thailand chuck it out the window in support of coups, forgetting about their own roots. They are the worst kind of hypocrits!

Comparing this country to the Western democracy I grew up in, requires a large stretch of imagination. The lot of them would be banned and/or locked up.