So How Was Your Coup Today?

[John K]

So how was your coup today?

I would like to make this thread a record of peoples feelings and experiences of how the coup has and will continue to effect you. What emotions did you experience, what sights did you see, or anything that you can document without political spin. I think someday we can and will look back and reflect on this moment in our lives.

[Ulysses G.]

I found out about the coup almost immediatly last night and wasn't worried at all because I have been through them before.

I watched a lot of news last night ( my CNN/BBC didn't go off) and had a very good coup and a very good day and was filled with pride at the Thai people and the Army for remaining gentle and non-violent and indeed laughing the whole thing off.

Besides the amazing babes, that is why I live here!

Edited September 20, 2006 by Ulysses G.

[John K]

The first 24 hours for me;

For me last night I was busy typing yet another post about Thaksin when over my right shoulder I saw in TV the footage of the King. I did not give it much thought and actually thought it was a commercial. After a few minutes I realized it was running for a while. I checked a few other channels and realized the end game was underway. I did not know who was staging the coup, and noticed a new thread had appeared in the news clippings section of TV. From there I noted that the BBC was still on my TV as it is free with my apartment. As the evening progressed my thoughts were bouncing between seeing Thaksin’s face and arrogance saying he was still PM. I visualized a pouting two year old jumping up and down saying “I am still Prime Minister.” At about Midnight I decided to go to sleep. I woke up around 6 AM and checked the latest news and decided it would be a light day. I moved my evening appointments up to accommodate any night travel concerns they may have.

I ventured out to get a meal and the Body language of the people I encountered reflected cautious optimism but also uncertainty.

My emotions were a sense of relief and also uncertainly. I felt the coup was for the good yet unfortunate that the extremity of a coup was needed, but I also felt Thaksin left few if any other options.

Edited September 20, 2006 by John K

[farangene]

It was a quiet day in the Suk. area. I was at the Emporium and saw very few shoppers around. Several shops were closed in the complex (AIS shop on 3rd floor) but the main dept store was open. Most sales people were just chatting among themselves and very little shopping being done. Plenty of seats available in the food court and all the restaurants I saw.

Streets were empty of cars and traffic was extremely light as most people stayed home. I would say traffic was much lighter than a typical Sunday which is the day with least amount of traffic normally. Itwas almost New Years when the majority of the people have left the city and it takes only 10 minutes to drive from outer Sukhumvit to Silom via the streets. I had a seat on the BTS in both directions and noted several other seats available in the car I was in.

I talked to a few Thai people and most seemed to welcome the departure of Mr. T. Several of them said it was long overdue and no one expressed any sympathy for him. According to most, he had overstepped the boundary of decency in Thai eyes. No one seemed in the least bit cautious about discussing the situation.

I had a scheduled hosp appt this afternoon and called the hosp (govt) and they said all out patient dept appts had been cancelled. Have to reschedule that in a few days.

One final note on somethng that was definitely different. At Suk and Soi 26, there were a few soldiers with rifles standing there and waiting. I asked one if I could take a picture of them and the older one (Sgt probably) said okay to take a picture of the younger soldiers so I did.

There was some kind of troop transport vehicle (not a tank or Hummer) parked in Soi 26/1 (I think that is the soi name) right off Suk and Soi 26. Thre were a couple of soldiers inside the vehicle and several standing "guard" across the street. In total about 7-8 uniformed and armed soldiers in the area of Suk/ Soi 26 where I have never seen any before. They didn't seem to be expecting anything to happen and maybe were just part of the marketing scheme for the new "temporary" regime.

[austallia_1980]

I am shocked at how happy and proud Thais and Farang are of the Thai Military's decision to declare Martial Law and interfere with the democratic process.

[billd766]

I live up in the central region about 60 km southwest of Khampaeng Phet and in the village it was market day as normal except the bank was closed as were the schools.

I went on down to Nakhon Sawan and it was the same in Big C.

Up here it seems as though nothing has changed (and it probably hasn't).

austallia_1980 Posted Today, 2006-09-20 22:34:55

I am shocked at how happy and proud Thais and Farang are of the Thai Military's decision to declare Martial Law and interfere with the democratic process.

Why are you shocked?

As far as I can see Mr Thaksin has subverted many government officials and indirectly and directly changed the laws of the country to suit himself and his friends.

He has tried most years to change the military promotions list and promoted family and friends into positions of authority in the police and military.

I think the term I am looking for is som nam na.

[Ling Kae]

I was out till 3am here in Pattaya, got home went to bed and heard nothing of it until 8am this morning. Read up on it in English so I knew exactly what happend. Then I took a big walk to the Police station and other government buildings and saw it was all as usual (nothing different from outside), the hookers were down the beach as usual too as if nothing had happened. My personal feeling was that democracy went out the window but then again the Thai people around me seem happy about the way the army pulled it all off and in the end seemed like a typical Thai solution, TIT.

[baboon]

Coup? What coup? Business as usual down here..

[kat]

Went to bed at 3 a.m., got up at noon, left the house at 1, didn't see any tanks so proceeded to my local starbucks and read the papers. There was a run on the laundry machines today, so I have to go home and do laundry now. That's about it.

Edited September 20, 2006 by kat

[meadish_sweetball]

Not my coup of tea.

[kat]

Yeah, you're right. I always drink tea, never coffee, yawn.

[Rinrada]

I am shocked at how happy and proud Thais and Farang are of the Thai Military's decision to declare Martial Law and interfere with the democratic process.

Makes a change from the hum- drum of ....just another day in Bangers....

my phone has never stopped ringing and I am over here........

Who did you say is arriving at the airport?...eh....

[LaoPo]

Not my coup of tea.

...yes: keep on smiling guys................

LaoPo

[Laemyourng]

Is it not great or what............. Thaksin is in London where he own a big building. He did not allow any farang to own anything in Thailand ( understand me right ), but he has the right to own buildings in London and who know where else?

[LaoPo]

Is it not great or what............. Thaksin is in London where he own a big building. He did not allow any farang to own anything in Thailand ( understand me right ), but he has the right to own buildings in London and who know where else?

UK laws are not the same as Thai laws.........

LaoPo

[N47HAN]

Well it was all a bit unerving towards midnight last night , as the news broke.

Went to sleep around 3 after trawling TV. Had a meeting at 9 this morning , turned out to be just another day down here in Phuket. Just as if nothing was actually going on in Bkk.

[number6]

So how was your coup today?

I would like to make this thread a record of peoples feelings and experiences of how the coup has and will continue to effect you. What emotions did you experience, what sights did you see, or anything that you can document without political spin. I think someday we can and will look back and reflect on this moment in our lives.

told my thia wife this morning - she was a bit worried at first - and said are we still going to our meeting down town - i said sure why not - she then said she was not worried - we went down central bangkok and wow no traffic jams - wonderful - totally normal day except no traffic jams - even saw normal thai police roadblock thing as usual - let all coups be like this

[whimsy]

Watched events unfold on BBC and internet Tuesday night. I took the bus to Mae Sai for a visa run, as previously planned and paid for. I didn't really expect the border to be open and it wasn't. The locked gates were a rather forlorn sight.

Went to the immigration office back up the road. The staff were all sitting inside the closed office chatting. Managed to speak to one. He said they could not do anything today and had no idea when the border would reopen.

Went down to the Top North Hotel and had a couple of beers. Several of the shops were closed and the town was very quiet. It was raining, the market area was flooded and the road by the river was flooded over a metre deep. Got back on the bus and came home. The only army presence seen all day were 2 armed soldiers at the Chiang Mai bus station when I returned.

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

I'm very proud of them. It gives me a lil bit more faith in humanity, that in their darkest hours, with a sell out PM that cared more about the Chinese and his own business interests, than the welfare of his people, that the military actually stepped in and ousted this scum bag for the good of the people. If only our military would have done that with Bush!

**edited by sbk**

[kayo]

my sentiments exaclty money shot!

[udon]

I am shocked at how happy and proud Thais and Farang are of the Thai Military's decision to declare Martial Law and interfere with the democratic process.

You obviously have never had an interest in current events in Thailand.

Try reading the Bangkok Post and The Nation in future.

Geeez!

[kayo]

crossword in the Post is easier than the nation.

[Dakhar]

Toxin for President....

Really, he could at least do a better job than Bush... then again, so could a 4 year old.

Things went normal out here, Rangsit area. I expect I will be going to work today. I just hope it all stays this quite. If it does, I too am proud of the Thai people for such a smooth transition. But from what I hear, they have had a lot of practice.

[bdenner]

Up here in the TRT heartland all was very quite. No uniforms, no guns, if it wasn't for the lack of western news on UBC and the kids being home from school one would not be aware of the coup.

For the Thais it was business as usual:- eat, sleep, eat, watch soap operas on TV.

[Dakhar]

eat, sleep, eat, watch soap operas on TV.

So true... but one day the will have to retire.

[Scott]

Traffic was good for a change, but I thought they had completely disbanded with traffic regulations--never seen so many nuts on the road!

[macb]

Yeah I will shot them bloody pidgeons coo coo coo. Oh sorry wrong type of coo hahahaha

macb

[Richard Hall]

I am shocked at how happy and proud Thais and Farang are of the Thai Military's decision to declare Martial Law and interfere with the democratic process.

Since the present situation is backed by more than 80% of the population there is no need to be shocked because the will of an absolute majority of the people is reflected and there is also endorsement by His Majesty in the Kingdom of Thailand.

This is a situation the "more developed", "democratic" countries can just dream of. Where's the problem? Western understanding of democracy has been disappointed? So what? Blue and sunny sky today here in BKK and heaps of optimism. Cheer up!

Cheers,

Richard

[Richard Hall]

I think it is not a problem of your opinion but rather how you express it.

Calling the Thai soldiers "thugs" is very unfair. Isn't it the militaries duty to act for the best of the country and her people and nothing else which obviously has been done as the opinion polls clearly show. They obviously reacted in fear of kind of a civil war between Khun Thaksin supporters and opponents. PAD have called their demonstrations off. Clashes are very unlikely even from parts of the military that may be still in favour of Mr. Thaksin (correct spelling) who should be by the way nevertheless treated with some decency as formerly democratically elected PM of Thailand in my opinion and which has also been expressed by the military leaders.

The Thai military acted according to their duty and what they considered to be in the best interest of the country and her people. Now they are continuing that course and behave gentlemen-like. Well, they are still patrolling the streets (their duty!) until a civil interim Government has been established because under the present circumstances the situation is still very sensitive.

A coup is NOT the proper way to regulate polictical situations in correlation of the democratic thought. Granted! Acting, however, in the interest of the country and the population backed by a vast majority is respectable.

Well, express your contrary opinion but do it civilized in the same way as the military carried out their job. Do it with decency rather than polemic and insults and I'm sure this will also be respected in this forum.

Cheers,

Richard

Edited September 21, 2006 by Richard Hall

[Donz]

This coup should of been done along time ago.

Good on the Thai military. They are doing a great thing for the country.