| 2006 coup - The political mood | | | | At 2300 hours the coup was officially announced. |
| Bangkok in the April summer heat was seething | | | | The statement, made at regular intervals, ended |
| with political agitation. Earlier in the year, the PM | | | | with an apology to the public for the |
| Taksin Shinawatra sold his entire holdings in Shin | | | | inconvenience caused! |
| Corp to Temasek, the Singapore government | | | | By midnight, CNN and BBC transmissions were |
| investment company. | | | | blacked out. Local TV announced the suspension |
| Shin Corp owned the major cell phone operator in | | | | of the 1997 constitution, the Constitutional Court, |
| Thailand, a satellite, a TV station, a domestic | | | | both houses of Parliament and Cabinet. |
| budget airline and a property company. There are | | | | 2006 coup - The day after |
| strict limits on foreign ownership of | | | | On the morning of 20 September 2006, more |
| telecommunications and local airlines in Thailand. | | | | troops and tanks were seen entering Bangkok |
| The sale caused a national uproar. | | | | along the Vipavadi-Rangsit Highway. These were |
| To make matters worse, the law governing limits | | | | the reinforcements from units outside Bangkok. |
| on foreign holdings of such industries was raised | | | | The coup leaders were tightening their grip on the |
| from 20% to 49% just a day before the deal | | | | city making any counter-measure near impossible. |
| was announced. | | | | Martial law was imposed. Public demonstrations |
| The deal netted a tax-free sum of 73 billion baht | | | | and assemblies of more that five persons were |
| (US$1.95 bn) and rankled ordinary tax payers. In | | | | banned. The military council promised to hand |
| the raging emotions, it mattered little that Thailand | | | | over to an interim government in two weeks. |
| had no capital gains tax. | | | | Four ex-ministers deemed close to the deposed |
| For a government facing accusations of | | | | premier were ordered to report to Army |
| corruption and nepotism, aggravated by the | | | | Headquarters. They remained in military custody. |
| abrasive and autocratic Taksin, this deal was the | | | | 2006 coup - The coup of roses |
| last straw. This contentious issue in early 2006 | | | | Actually it wasn't as drastic as it appeared. The |
| sparked the chain of events that led to the 2006 | | | | 2006 coup in Bangkok was, in many ways, a coup |
| coup later in September. | | | | of contradictions. |
| In the April snap elections, that was boycotted by | | | | Some have described it as an undemocratic use |
| the opposition, the ruling party won again. This | | | | of force to overthrow a democratically elected |
| election was later nullified by the Constitutional | | | | government that has systematically subverted |
| Court as parties were paid to put up token | | | | the democratic institutions in the country. |
| opposition. Fresh elections were set for October | | | | Even the original name adopted by the coup |
| 2006. | | | | leaders was shrouded in respectability, the Council |
| By July, conflict between the pro and anti Taksin | | | | for Democratic Reform under a Constitutional |
| camps was getting increasingly acrimonious. Taksin | | | | Monarchy. |
| won't resign and his critics can't get him out. This | | | | For every Thai who despised Taksin, another |
| impasse and the daily bickering paralyzed the | | | | supported him. For a nation weary from the |
| caretaker government. | | | | seemingly endless political deadlock, the coup |
| 2006 coup - Conflicts with the military | | | | might even be a welcomed relief or last resort. |
| To add fuel to fire, Taksin tried to influence the | | | | A Thai journalist noted wryly that the troops |
| annual army promotions list, a prerogative | | | | were showered with roses and not bricks. Indeed |
| jealously guarded by the military. His move was | | | | the public response to the troops from the onset |
| seen as an attempt to promote the Class 10 | | | | was warm and friendly. So was the behavior of |
| officers (his classmates in military academy) over | | | | the troops towards the people. |
| their seniors. | | | | The morning after the 2006 coup, children were |
| In August, the army was accused of an | | | | clamoring on an armored personnel carrier as if it |
| assassination attempt with a car bomb near the | | | | were some playground equipment. Soldiers |
| PM's residence. The sacking of a general, | | | | chatted merrily with foreigners and Thais alike. It |
| investigations and arrest of officers pushed the | | | | transpired a few days later that they were under |
| situation closer to the brink. | | | | strict orders to keep on smiling! |
| 2006 coup - The pre-coup planning and | | | | As the days past, yellow roses adorn tanks. |
| preparations | | | | People offered soldiers food and water. These |
| The first tactical move in the 2006 coup was | | | | gifts turned out to be more than just token |
| made two months earlier in July. Several Class 10 | | | | offerings. By the end of September, it was |
| officers holding battalion commands were | | | | reported that the army was running low on funds |
| transferred to non-combat positions. This move | | | | for food and fuel for the troops. |
| weakened the Taksin loyalists. | | | | (The Thai budget year starts on 1 October each |
| In a distant base to the north, soldiers sensed a | | | | year. In the political turmoil, no new budget was |
| coup two weeks before when they were ordered | | | | passed.) |
| to wash the M41 tanks and support vehicles, fit | | | | Snapping photos with troops in the 2006 coup |
| auxiliary weapons and vehicle accessories. This | | | | was popular. Like the young lady cheekily pointing |
| was done in small batches of vehicles under the | | | | a rifle at a soldier with his hands up in mock |
| cover of routine maintenance. | | | | surrender (the M16 assault rifles carried by the |
| A day before, all vehicles were given a complete | | | | troops were not loaded). Or the bridal couple, who |
| change of oils and lubricants. With the arrival of | | | | had their wedding photo with a military guard of |
| tank transporters, the big move was on. | | | | honor and tank. |
| 2006 coup - The forces deployed | | | | When a local radio station sponsored a troupe of |
| The forces deployed for the 2006 coup were: | | | | bare midriff dancers in skin tight costumes to |
| - The Special Forces from the Special Warfare | | | | entertain the troops, that was the limit. The army |
| Center in Loburi 100 km north of Bangkok. | | | | banned further displays of such frivolity. Soldiers |
| (General Sonthi the army chief is a Red Beret.) | | | | also were prohibited to allow members of the |
| - The 1st Army in Bangkok. | | | | public to handle weapons. |
| - The 2nd Army based in the north-east. | | | | These scenes gave a measure of the mood of |
| - The 3rd Army based in the north. | | | | the day. |
| 19 September 2006 coup - The execution | | | | 2006 coup - The aftermath |
| On that fateful day of the 19th, the PM Taksin | | | | On 1 October 2006, General Surayud Chulanont, |
| was in New York scheduled to address the United | | | | ex-Privy Councilor and ex-chief of army, was |
| Nations General Assembly. | | | | appointed the 24th Prime Minister of Thailand. |
| At 1900 hours, 10 bus loads of fully armed and | | | | On the same day, the troops started their |
| equipped Special Forces troops from Lopburi | | | | withdrawal from the city. The military council |
| entered Bangkok. That was the trigger point. The | | | | promulgated an interim charter appointing |
| 2006 coup had been set in motion. | | | | themselves the Council for National Security with |
| From 2130 - 2230 hours, normal TV programs | | | | powers to appoint and sack the PM and the |
| started to go off the air channel by channel, | | | | government. |
| replaced by royal music and films. That set | | | | Taksin flew from New York to London and is still |
| Bangkok buzzing. Troops were occupying all the | | | | there with his family. |
| TV stations, the key targets in any coup. | | | | The four ex-Ministers who were arrested were |
| Taksin must have got wind of the coup because | | | | released on the day the interim PM was |
| he tried to announce a state of emergency and | | | | appointed. |
| the arrest of the army chief via satellite. Only one | | | | The managing director of TV channel 9, the only |
| station, Channel 9, agreed to air this a little after | | | | channel to broadcast Taksin's declaration of |
| 2200 hours. But this was stopped minutes later. | | | | emergency, resigned shortly after the coup. |
| By the time CNN broke the news of the 2006 | | | | The people await fresh elections in a year's time |
| coup to the world at 2200 hours, tanks and | | | | and a new constitution, the 17th in 74 years of |
| troops were fully deployed in the city. | | | | constitutional government. |
| Government House, the seat of power, was | | | | We can only hope that this constitution will last |
| seized. Troops secured key junctions in the city, | | | | longer than the last one. It's anyone's guess if the |
| manning checkpoints and checking traffic. | | | | 2006 coup will be the last. |