Thai military admits it staged coup

By the way, did we mention the martial law imposed a few days ago was accompanied by a coup? Perhaps the Thai military tired of relentless questions by the BBC about how their martial law and takeover were anything but a coup.
A coup by any other name is still a coup. An asymmetrical war, as the US military loves to call it, is still a guerrilla war.
A Red Shirt is a rural-based opposition group, not a term for describing a college football player who takes a year away from the game to study, and grow bigger and stronger and train at the same time with few rules.
But coups have gotten a bad reputation, particularly after what has happened in Egypt. Is there anyone who is a Muslim “militant” who is not in prison and/or sentenced to die?
Of course Thailand had had at least 11 so why not make it an even dozen?
Martial law only lasted three days.
What better way to describe what is happening than in a nationwide televised address, though Thailand is not very wide at all.
The usual media censorship has been imposed.
Apparently the US practice of washing the extremely dirty laundry of a war against terrorism in full public view is not the way most nations do business.
“It is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command which includes army, navy, armed forces and police to take control of governing the country,” said Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha. It was in a statement. He didn’t personally appear to tell his story.
Still, it was necessary to assure the country and the world that Thailand, a beloved tourist haven, is still open for business.
“We ask the public not to panic and to carry on their lives normally. And civil servants stay in every ministry, carry on your responsibilities as normal,” said the general, who had made it clear the military really didn’t want to get too involved.
The general and the rest of the command did try. For at least two days it talked with the seating government and opposition groups. Little progress was reported.
Opposition leaders got their wrists slapped publicly but apparently were not getting the Egyptian treatment.
A few of those apparently feared by the military were still able to get word out. The government leaders themselves, who met with the military, were being held.
It bears mentioning that TV stations went off the air and the constitution suspended.
Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the CIA and said his troops had pulled back.
“The rest of us who are outside are still fine and in the safe places. However, the situation is very worrying. We have to monitor it closely and don’t know what else can happen,” government official Paradorn Pattanathabutr told the BBC.
Sources:
The Indian Express
AP
BBC