This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/world/asia/thailand-military-coup.html

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Thai Army Declares Coup, Citing Need to ‘Reform’ Nation Thailand’s Military Stages Coup to Thwart Populist Movement
(about 5 hours later)
BANGKOK — The Thai military seized control of the country on Thursday in a coup, the culmination of months of maneuvering by the Bangkok establishment to sideline the populist movement founded by a billionaire tycoon that has won every national election since 2001. BANGKOK — The Thai military seized control of the country on Thursday and detained at least 25 leading politicians in a culmination of months of maneuvering by the Bangkok establishment to sideline a populist movement that has won every national election since 2001.
It was the second time in a decade that the army has overthrown an elected government and at least the 12th military coup since Thailand abandoned the absolute monarchy in 1932. The takeover came two days after the military declared martial law. It was the second time in a decade that the army had overthrown an elected government, but there were signs that this takeover could be more severe and include sharp curbs on Thailand’s freewheeling media.
In a series of announcements Thursday, the military declared the Constitution invalid, dissolved the cabinet, banned gatherings of more than five people, imposed a curfew and shut schools. But it said the courts would continue operating, as would the Senate, half of whose members are appointed and are friendly to the Bangkok elite. The coup was seen as a victory for the elites in Thailand who have grown disillusioned with popular democracy and have sought for years to diminish the electoral power of Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister who commands support in the rural north. Unable to win elections, the opposition has instead called for an appointed prime minister, and pleaded with the military for months to step in.
Television stations were ordered to replace their regular programming with messages from the military and patriotic songs. As soldiers spread out throughout Bangkok on Thursday, the generals issued a series of announcements, declaring most of the Constitution “terminated,” banning gatherings of more than five people, imposing a curfew and shutting schools.
Thailand, with one of Southeast Asia’s largest economies, has long been a potent draw both for foreign investment and tourists attracted by its reputation as “the land of smiles.” But in recent months, the country has made headlines worldwide for a protest movement seeking to suspend democracy, at least in the short term, as it struggled to unseat a governing party it has been unable to defeat at the polls. The coup was at least the 12th military takeover since Thailand abandoned the absolute monarchy in 1932. But unlike many previous coups, which involved infighting among generals, Thursday’s military takeover had as a subtext the political awakening among rural Thais who have loyally supported Mr. Thaksin and benefited from patronage and policies such as universal health care and microloans.
The military began the day by hosting rival political leaders for what was billed as a second round of talks on how to resolve the country’s political deadlock. After several hours, however, soldiers detained the participants, including the heads of the country’s two largest political parties and cabinet ministers. Critics of Mr. Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon who lives in self-imposed exile abroad, say he also took corruption to a new level.
The head of the army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha then announced the coup on national television, saying it was “necessary to seize power.” General Prayuth said the coup was conducted “in order to bring the situation back to normal quickly” and to “reform the political structure, the economy and the society.” With one of Southeast Asia’s largest economies, Thailand has long been attractive to foreign investors and tourists drawn by its reputation as “the land of smiles.” But in recent months, it has made headlines for the many attempts by antigovernment protesters to suspend democracy, a jarring contrast with its open, cosmopolitan image.
Secretary of State John Kerry said he was “disappointed” by the decision to overthrow the country’s leaders. He urged that civilian government be restored immediately and said that the United States was reviewing military and other assistance to Thailand. The military and Bangkok establishment now face the question of either retaining the power gained from the coup or returning the country to democracy — with the likelihood that Mr. Thaksin and his proven political machine would again return to power in elections. The coup in 2006 unseated Mr. Thaksin, but his backers came back to win at the polls, leading to his younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, becoming prime minister in 2011.
“There is no justification for this military coup,” he said in a statement that also called for the release of detained political leaders and a return of press freedom. “While we value our long friendship with the Thai people, this act will have negative implications for the U.S.–Thai relationship, especially for our relationship with the Thai military.” Although the leader of the antigovernment movement, Suthep Thaugsuban, was detained Thursday, his supporters praised the coup. “This is a victory day for the people,” Samdin Lertbutr, an antigovernment protest leader, said in an interview. “The military has done their job. And we have done our job.”
Six months of debilitating protests in Thailand have centered on whether to hold elections to end political unrest. The governing party dissolved the House of Representatives, a fully elected body, in December in an attempt to defuse the crisis and set an election for February. The opposition Democrat Party, which has not won a national election since 1992, then disrupted the vote and refused to take part, calling instead for an appointed prime minister. The Thai military had initially pledged that Thursday would be a day of seeking political compromise, two days after declaring martial law in what it said was an attempt to force a political resolution. The army hosted rival political leaders, including Mr. Suthep, for what was billed as a second round of talks. But after several hours, soldiers detained the participants.
The courts later ruled that the election was unconstitutional, and this month dealt the government a more serious blow by removing Yingluck Shinawatra, the prime minister, from office. After midnight, the new junta ordered Ms. Yingluck and several relatives in her politically powerful family to report to military authorities on Friday. The leader of the army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, then announced the coup on national television, saying he would “reform the political structure, the economy and the society.”
Although the leader of the antigovernment movement, Suthep Thaugsuban, was detained Thursday, his supporters praised the coup after months of chiding the military for not stepping in. Television stations were ordered to replace their regular programming with messages from the military and patriotic songs. The military also issued a summons for 41 political figures tied to Mr. Thaksin, including Ms. Yingluck, who was removed as prime minister by a court this month and replaced by a deputy prime minister.
“This is a victory day for the people,” Samdin Lertbutr, an antigovernment protest leader, said in an interview. “The military has done their job. And we have done our job.” The coup drew immediate rebukes from abroad. Secretary of State John Kerry said he was “disappointed” by the decision to overthrow the country’s leaders. He urged that civilian government be restored immediately.
While the military said it would be fair to both sides in the continuing political dispute, it allowed antigovernment demonstrators to remain in their protest site overnight even as soldiers in black masks dispersed crowds loyal to the deposed government. The Thai media reported that the loyalist group’s leaders were also arrested. “There is no justification for this military coup,” he said in a statement that also called for the release of detained political leaders. “While we value our long friendship with the Thai people, this act will have negative implications for the U.S.-Thai relationship, especially for our relationship with the Thai military.”
At the heart of the political upheaval is a longstanding struggle between the rural masses in the north who support the Shinawatra family and its most famous member — the tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra — and the elites who say his populist movement puts too much power in the hands of people they describe as less educated. A spokesman at the Defense Department said the Pentagon was reviewing military cooperation, including planned joint exercises set to start Monday.
Many describe Mr. Thaksin’s political movement as the most successful in the country’s history. He gained the allegiance of voters in the provinces by implementing universal health care, microloans and a more efficient bureaucracy before being ousted in a military coup in 2006. The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, also appealed for a “prompt return to constitutional, civilian, democratic rule.” And Britain’s foreign secretary and the office of the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, were among those calling for new elections.
He now lives overseas, though many critics have complained of what they see as his undue influence on the government of his younger sister, Ms. Yingluck. Six months of debilitating protests in Thailand have centered on whether to hold elections to end the political unrest. Protesters have occupied government buildings, forcing even the prime minister to work elsewhere, and courts and independent government agencies have issued a series of rulings favorable to the protesters, including prohibiting the government from dispersing demonstrators. Some of those rulings have been derided by legal scholars.The antigovernment forces resent Mr. Thaksin not only for his concentration of power but also for intimidation of the media during his time in office and what they call the mixing of his personal business with affairs of state. But many of them have also become skeptical of the notion of one person, one vote, which they say hands too much power to uneducated provincial voters who support Mr. Thaksin.
The coup announcement was made after the Thai stock market was closed, and it remains unclear how the latest turmoil will affect an economy that already contracted in the first quarter amid the unrest. The opposition proposes a return to democracy, but only after unspecified changes have been carried out.
Although Thailand has been burdened with tumultuous politics for decades, it has also been, by many measures, an economic success story and a well-functioning society, consistently outperforming almost all of its neighbors. Close to 100 percent of the population has running water and electricity. The unemployment rate is only around 1 percent. And American and Japanese automotive factories together export more than a million cars a year from the country. Thailand is also one of the world’s largest producers of computer hard drives. In December, the governing party dissolved the House of Representatives in an attempt to defuse the crisis and set an election for February. But the opposition Democrat Party, which has not won a national election in two decades, refused to take part. The Constitutional Court later ruled that the election was unconstitutional, one of several rulings against the government by a court perceived by government supporters to be highly political.
The military said Thursday that it would be fair to both sides in the continuing political dispute. But it allowed antigovernment demonstrators to remain in their protest site overnight, even as soldiers in black masks dispersed crowds loyal to Mr. Thaksin and the deposed government.
After deposing Mr. Thaksin in 2006, the generals put in place an administration that was widely seen as a failure.
“The lesson they learned the last time was that the medicine they prescribed after the coup was not strong enough,” said Thongchai Winichakul, a former student activist in Thailand who is now a professor of Southeast Asian history at the University of Wisconsin. “There’s a high possibility of very drastic measures and suppression this time.”
At the time, the Constitution was rewritten to strengthen the role of judges, and the popular representation in the Senate was diluted.
The initial trigger for the latest political crisis were the attempts by Ms. Yingluck’s party to institute an amnesty program that could have allowed Mr. Thaksin to return from exile.
Although Thailand has been burdened with tumultuous politics for decades, it has also been, by many measures, an economic success story and a well-functioning society, consistently outperforming almost all of its neighbors. Close to 100 percent of the population has running water and electricity. The unemployment rate is only around 1 percent. And American and Japanese automotive factories together export more than a million cars a year from the country.
In Thailand’s turbulent political history, the king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, has on at least one occasion helped resolve political disputes. But he is 86 years old and ailing.In Thailand’s turbulent political history, the king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, has on at least one occasion helped resolve political disputes. But he is 86 years old and ailing.
General Prayuth said in his announcement that the king was “above the entire conflict.” The military “will protect and worship the monarchy,” he said.
There have been so many coups in Thailand’s history that scholars have not arrived at a definitive number.There have been so many coups in Thailand’s history that scholars have not arrived at a definitive number.
Nicholas Farrelly, a specialist on Southeast Asia at Australian National University, posted a message this week on New Mandala, a website dedicated to studies on Thailand and its neighboring countries. Mr. Farrelly tallied 11 “successful” coups and nine “unsuccessful” ones. But he wrote that he also found “obscure references to aborted military interventions.” Nicholas Farrelly, a specialist on Southeast Asia at Australian National University, posted a message this week on a website dedicated to studies on Thailand and its neighboring countries. Mr. Farrelly tallied 11 “successful” coups and nine “unsuccessful” ones. But he wrote that he also found “obscure references to aborted military interventions.”
“Please share your knowledge to help us count Thailand’s military coups once-and-for-all,” he wrote.“Please share your knowledge to help us count Thailand’s military coups once-and-for-all,” he wrote.