Coup

It seemed like any normal day, there were no warnings or any suspicion peace would be disrupted. Night fell, and I was gyming at the fitness center. A little before 11pm, an employee of the center made a speech on the P.A. :" Dear valued members, there seems to be a military coup against the government happening right this moment. Please gather your belongings and exit the facility calmly."


I then got a call from Nan, asking frantically of my whereabouts.

N: "Where are you?? Are you still at the gym??"

Me: "Just about leaving, dear."

N: "Go straight back to your condo, tanks and military humvees have made their way into the capital. A coup d' etat seem on the cards."

Me: "Will call you when I get home. Thanks luv."

The moment our conversation ends, calls and sms' came in to warn me about the situation. Some friends with inside info warned to stay indoors as no one knows just yet what was actually going on. I rushed back immediately, not knowing what to expect. It was both exciting and scary, thinking how I'm going to be part of Thai history and also the last coup staged was a bloody one.

I arrived safely at my condo and flipped on the tely as I got in but all channels were blocked and only a message in Thai, which I couldn't read, was on and from time to time an unidentified person would be making a speech of a coup and pleaded for Bangkokians to stay calm and be indoors until further notice.
Due to the condo's illegal scrambling of the satelite, I was able to view BBC news, and they too were not sure if the military were those of Thaksin's as he declared a state of emergency or that of the military top brass loyal to His Majesty the King.

I watched with concern as they were having a live feed on major streets and the government house being surrounded by tanks and soldiers, with a yellow ribbon, symbolizing the King's color, tied around their weapons. Managed to warn mumsy about the situation and thankfully she was at home the entire day and hadn't the slightest clue of what was happening.
Calls out were then jammed as the military scrambled signals and networks during this time but I managed to get a call from dad, inquiring about mum and my safety. At one point, he asked if we could get to the airport in case things get out of hand.

After staying glued to the tv, it became evident it was a military coup staged by the armed forces chief of Thailand, loyal to King Bhumipol, had seized power from Thaksin, who stands being accused of corruption and nepotism. It was done while he was away at the UN general assembly in New York.

The next day, a live telecast of the armed forces chief, navy admiral, air force head, national police chief and the supreme commander appeared and stated due to Thaksin's increasingly corrupt practice in the government, it was decided in the best interest of the country the military stage a coup with a promise to return to democracy and civilian rule by two weeks.

Next day after the coup, the city seemed desserted as many weren't sure what to expect but by evening everything had gone back to normal. Bangkokians knew this coup was consulted with King Bhumipol and it was the right decision.
I came back to Bangkok from Ratchaburi province and joined mates out for a drink, it was that normal.

Personally I thought the coup to be a positive move. Secondly, the armed forces chief, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin- the first Muslim army chief- now Chairman of the Council for Democratic Reform(CDR), to be an extremely capable and honest military man. He has been placed as a temporary premier while King Bhumipol and his Privy Councillors plus Gen Sonthi himself discuss a list of potential candidates to be interim prime minister.

Amazing Thailand

Been quite an exciting past couple of weeks I must say. The crew from back home and their respective missus' paid Bangkok (and I) a visit. It was a fun filled time in the city shopping, taking tours to various renowned temples, Vimmanmaek - a mansion once occupied by King Rama the 5th, Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Chatuchak weekend market, and the much hyped Bed Supperclub.

We spent the next day at the beach of Cha Am province. Some of us sat and enjoyed the scenery while the rest including yours truly had an awesome time riding the banana boat - it was definitely an adventure. After a short rest we set out to experienced a relaxing and sometimes painful, traditional foot massage which was nevertheless a pleasant encounter. So what do you have for dinner when in a seaside province? Seafood of course! We tucked into a hearty feast that night and retired straight after dinner from an exhausting but fabulous day.

The next day was started early to catch the Sampran Elephant and Crocodile show in Nakhon Pathom province. Having lived for a decade in Bangkok, I hadn't even experienced such a popular tourist destination's must-sees as a Thai citizen. Can't really blame Bangkokians, even the date I brought never visited this famed elephant sanctuary.

Overall its been a trip full of fun and laughter. I'm glad they finally made the visit they promised the last ten years! Might be another ten come the next visit.

'Better late than never'