Thailand will not have the next military coup
Ever since King Rama VII abdicated his throne and gave his absolute governing power to his people in 2 March 1935, Thailand has been on the up and down of the political turmoil. There have been 18 Coup d’état and countless political infightings since. During the time, Thai have been governed by no less than 15 constitutions and it seems another rewrite is now on the next agenda.
I had thought and written in Helium before and after the last Thai 2006 Military Coup that a coup would happen but would not last long before a new one surfaces. I borrowed the term vicious cycle as it did in cycle for the past 71 years or once less than every 4 years. Well, the 2006 Coup did take place but I have since changed my perspective as to the next Coup.
I do not think Thailand will ever see another Coup now and the last 2006 Coup was the last for the country. My reason is not that Thai abhors Coup and had been fighting fiercely against it like her neighbor countries of Burma or a country few doors further of Philippines.
The people can really do nothing if the powerful militants seek to bully the weak of the nation. The reason is that the army itself has awaken now to come to a realization that a coup will never work to the good of the nation whether socially, economically or politically. But more importantly, it will not make good to them in a coup. They will not only have to confront with local anti coup sentiment, they will also have to face with the boycott from the international communities. All add up to make their governingdifficult and unprofitable.
This is very true when we see and hear what the military has been saying and behaving in the past year since the new Constitution of 2007 was put to govern by the new elected government. During the time, there were many good excuses or occasions that suit a coup without much condemnation from both within and out the country and yet the military chose to not make the move.
There was actually a voice of call for a coup when the police acted barbarically in suppressing a peaceful citizen protest last October 7, which ended in killing 2 people and injured many more. Some are still in the ICU with loss of hands and legs. Queen Sirikit personally attended the funeral rite of one of the death who was a 27 years newly graduated MBA and days away from her wedding day.
The military has been assuring and reassuring that a coup will not take place to solve all these political unrests. They have reiterated that their role is to defend and not to govern the nation.
This is a 180° turn from the past where they would find every opportunity to stage a coup? They even couped their own self one time only to install the same old commander in chief back as the Prime Minister. If they did not have an opportunity, they would simply create one by instituting chaos tojustified a coup.
This is an attitude of change the nation has never seen before. A change, I would read and conclude that Thailand will not have the next military coup. Time only will tell if this is correct.