News on the Military Coup in Thailand . . . .
The international Hash House Harriers have an international gathering every two years. It involves years of planning, formal bids which are voted on by attendants to the previous gathering, and coordination of travelers from all over the world. This years is set for the last weekend in October in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I got Danka and me tickets to the event, although I haven't made the travel arrangements yet for lack of liquid funds. Hotel reservations, airline tickets and other details still have to be sorted out, but we are still six weeks away.
Then this happens. I wonder if the event will see a sudden drop in attendance . . . http://chiangmai2006.com/website/.
___________________________
Thai army seizes power
By Pracha Hariraksapitak
1 hour, 28 minutes ago
BANGKOK (Reuters) - The Thai armed forces seized power on Tuesday without firing a shot, dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government, revoked the constitution and promised a swift return to democracy after political reforms.
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand's first Muslim army commander-in-chief, took the reins of power without a government title.
A coup spokesman said Thaksin was being ousted to resolve a nearly year-long political deadlock and stop "rampant corruption."
Initially, Thaksin tried to head off the coup by telephoning a Thai television station from New York to announce a state of emergency.
The transmission stopped after 10 minutes while he was still talking, but his spokesman said the army could not succeed and "we're in control."
Within hours, however, Thaksin canceled the speech he was to give to the U.N. General Assembly and spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee told Reuters by telephone the situation had changed and Thaksin was "considering whether to return to Thailand."
A coup spokesman said the army and police were in firm control after tanks and troops took over Government House in Thailand's first coup in 15 years but its 18th since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.
The heads of the armed forces went to the palace to report to King Bhumibol Adulyadej in a motorcade broadcast on television, a move likely to dampen any agitation in the countryside where Thaksin's support is strong but the King is revered.
Television also showed documentaries of King Bhumibol in the countryside, promoting his development projects which have added to the reverence in which he is held.
That was designed to reinforce the military's insistence it was acting for the good of the country which he embodies.
"TEMPORARY REGIME"
Armored vehicles and soldiers took up position on many street corners, but life in most of Bangkok continued much as usual with traffic moving through rain drenched streets and the airport operating normally.
The seizure would be temporary and power "returned to the people" soon, coup spokesman retired Lieutenant-General Prapart Sakuntanak said on all Thai television channels.
"Never in Thai history have the people been so divided," Prapart said.
"The majority of people had become suspicious of this administration, which is running the country through rampant corruption," he added.
"Independent bodies have been interfered with so much they could not perform in line within the spirit of the constitution."
The army told all soldiers to report to base and banned unauthorized troop movements, suggesting the military leadership was worried that Thaksin loyalists might attempt a counter-coup.
The armed forces also announced Wednesday would be a government, bank and market holiday in the interests of maintaining calm.
Foreign news channels, including CNN and the BBC, were taken off the air.
Prapart said the armed forces and police had set up a body to decide on political reforms, ousting billionaire telecoms tycoon Thaksin in the midst of a political crisis stemming from accusations he had subverted democracy.
Weerasak Kohsurat, a deputy minister in a previous government, said he believed royal adviser Sumate Tantivejakul would steer the political reform process.
Elections would be called when it was done and Thaksin, Thailand's longest serving elected prime minister, would be allowed to take part, he said.
"NO ALTERNATIVE"
After mass street protests against him in Bangkok, Thaksin, winner of two election landslides, called a snap poll in April, hoping his rural following would counter his metropolitan foes.
However, opposition parties argued he had skewed neutral bodies such as the Election Commission in his favor and boycotted the poll. That rendered the election result invalid.
Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party was expected to win a re-run tentatively scheduled for late November, increasing pressure on his opponents in the military and the old establishment to resort to removing him by force.
The prolonged crisis had slowed economic growth and hit the stock market as consumer confidence waned and the coup was likely to damage investor faith in Thailand further.
The Thai baht, one of Asia's strongest currencies this year, suffered its biggest fall in three years within hours of the coup.
Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's put Thailand's credit rating on review for possible downgrades as a result of the coup.
News of the coup helped lift the dollar and U.S. Treasuries as some investors ducked into safe havens.
Edited to add . . . :
Warnings over Thailand travel
POSTED: 0159 GMT (0959 HKT), September 19, 2006
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The United States has urged Americans to reconsider any travel to Thailand while Britain told its citizens living there to stay in their homes, after the Thai military topped the country's prime minister in a coup.
Australia advised its citizens to exercise "extreme caution" in the Thai capital, where tanks surrounded government offices, and to avoid political rallies or concentrations of military personnel.
"In light of the very uncertain political situation and apparent military-led takeover of the government, we strongly advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Thailand until the situation is clarified," the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
It asked those already in the capital to stay at home, and monitor the media.
The U.S. Embassy, in an e-mail to its citizens living in Thailand, said that while there had been no reports of violence in the overnight coup, Americans should "monitor the situation closely, avoid any large gatherings and exercise discretion when moving about the city."
"At this point, we are not advising Americans to leave Thailand; however, Americans planning to travel to Thailand may wish to carefully consider their options before traveling until the situation becomes clearer."
Britain's Foreign Office, in a notice on its Web site, warned that movement in the capital may be curtailed due to the imposition of martial law that came as the Thai Prime Minister was in New York attending the U.N. General Assembly.
Japan on Wednesday warned its citizens in Thailand to take extreme caution.
"Those visiting Thailand should try to obtain the latest information, and stay at home or hotel," according to the ministry's overseas travel advisory published early Wednesday.
"Japanese staying in Thailand should also avoid the palace, the government headquarters and concentrations of military personnel," the advisory said, urging others planning a trip to the Southeast Asian country to postpone their trip.
New Zealand also warned its citizens in Thailand to be careful when moving around the city.
"Don't go sightseeing around government buildings. If a curfew is imposed -- and there is talk of a curfew -- then it should be respected," Ambassador Brook Barrington told Radio New Zealand in Wellington.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was assessing whether to change its advisory for Thailand.
The coup appeared to cause little stir in Bangkok's popular tourist districts, where foreigners packed beer bars and cabarets just a few kilometers from where the tanks were posted.
. . . + Last Week's Headline . . . :
Bangkok's airport faces nervous start
By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok
The huge terminal is due to open at the end of September
Anyone travelling to Bangkok from the end of September will find themselves flying not into the dilapidated old airport at Don Muang, but into a brand new, state-of-the art airport situated 25km east of the capital.
Called Suvarnabhumi (Golden Land), the project was held back by frequent changes of government in Thailand, until the election of Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister five years ago, who made it a personal priority to get the airport built.
Even now Suvarnabhumi is mired in controversy over allegations of corruption during its construction and complaints from the travel industry that Mr Thaksin is forcing it to open before it has been fully tested.
From a distance it shimmers in the heat, a series of huge steel-and-glass hoops and sweeping triangles of fabric glinting with the sun.
We want it to open only when it is operationally ready
Albert Tjoeng, IATA
Up close, the sheer size of the main airport terminal - the world's biggest single terminal building - takes your breath away.
Designed by the renowned architect Helmut Jahn, with concessions to indigenous Thai motifs that are hard to spot in the uncompromisingly modern design, this is building on a monumental scale, building that is meant to impress.
But will it work? Will it be as good to use as it is to look at?
'Not ready'
IATA, the International Air Transport Association, which represents the world's airlines, and therefore Suvarnabhumi's main customers, is not convinced it will be, at least in the first few weeks. Nor is much of Thailand's travel industry.
"We want Suvarnabhumi to be a success," says Albert Tjoeng, from IATA. "But we want it to open only when it is operationally ready - there needs to be more meaningful consultation between the airport and the airlines which will use it."
Complaints by airlines about the cost of using the new airport have forced AOT, the airport authority, to bring down the charges.
But the airlines are far more worried that the airport will not be fully tested by the time it opens on 28 September and that there will be problems handling passengers, baggage and security.
= probable chaos and uncertainty about all travel within, into and out of Thailand for the foreseeable future.
________________________________
. . . and I'll pull this up from my answer in the comments below:
My immediate concern is that travel into, within and out of Thailand is going to be chaotic for weeks and likely months. There are reports of military curfews, even in tourist areas. Hashers are an adventurous and relatively fearless lot, but I think fully half of the 6,000 or so attendees are likely to cancel for the event. Therefore, I see no way I'll be able to unload my two tickets on the market. I suspect the organizers are going to have to consider cancelling or postponing indefinitely. The new airport is scheduled to start flights next week and is not ready = further chaos.
There is already a military dictatorship in neighboring Myanmar (Burma), and they have ties with the Thai military. Can't really foresee much overspilling into Lao, Cambodia & Viet Nam. But this Thai General in charge is a Muslim, and Thai is overwhelmingly Buddhist. The violence in the South around Hat Yai has killed some 1,400 people in the last two years is mostly a Muslim insurrection. That area is largely Muslim and closely tied with Malaysian Muslim groups.
I think this is a Very Big Deal that is going to clamp down on Thai tourism, economy and freedom for quite a long time. If it escalates into Muslim vs. Buddhists, well, that will further incite problems in Bali (Indonesia), Malaysia, Philippines and the whole Middle-Eastern mess.
For an international relations instructor, this is a fascinating subject . . . .
Then this happens. I wonder if the event will see a sudden drop in attendance . . . http://chiangmai2006.com/website/.
___________________________
Thai army seizes power
By Pracha Hariraksapitak
1 hour, 28 minutes ago
BANGKOK (Reuters) - The Thai armed forces seized power on Tuesday without firing a shot, dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government, revoked the constitution and promised a swift return to democracy after political reforms.
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand's first Muslim army commander-in-chief, took the reins of power without a government title.
A coup spokesman said Thaksin was being ousted to resolve a nearly year-long political deadlock and stop "rampant corruption."
Initially, Thaksin tried to head off the coup by telephoning a Thai television station from New York to announce a state of emergency.
The transmission stopped after 10 minutes while he was still talking, but his spokesman said the army could not succeed and "we're in control."
Within hours, however, Thaksin canceled the speech he was to give to the U.N. General Assembly and spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee told Reuters by telephone the situation had changed and Thaksin was "considering whether to return to Thailand."
A coup spokesman said the army and police were in firm control after tanks and troops took over Government House in Thailand's first coup in 15 years but its 18th since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.
The heads of the armed forces went to the palace to report to King Bhumibol Adulyadej in a motorcade broadcast on television, a move likely to dampen any agitation in the countryside where Thaksin's support is strong but the King is revered.
Television also showed documentaries of King Bhumibol in the countryside, promoting his development projects which have added to the reverence in which he is held.
That was designed to reinforce the military's insistence it was acting for the good of the country which he embodies.
"TEMPORARY REGIME"
Armored vehicles and soldiers took up position on many street corners, but life in most of Bangkok continued much as usual with traffic moving through rain drenched streets and the airport operating normally.
The seizure would be temporary and power "returned to the people" soon, coup spokesman retired Lieutenant-General Prapart Sakuntanak said on all Thai television channels.
"Never in Thai history have the people been so divided," Prapart said.
"The majority of people had become suspicious of this administration, which is running the country through rampant corruption," he added.
"Independent bodies have been interfered with so much they could not perform in line within the spirit of the constitution."
The army told all soldiers to report to base and banned unauthorized troop movements, suggesting the military leadership was worried that Thaksin loyalists might attempt a counter-coup.
The armed forces also announced Wednesday would be a government, bank and market holiday in the interests of maintaining calm.
Foreign news channels, including CNN and the BBC, were taken off the air.
Prapart said the armed forces and police had set up a body to decide on political reforms, ousting billionaire telecoms tycoon Thaksin in the midst of a political crisis stemming from accusations he had subverted democracy.
Weerasak Kohsurat, a deputy minister in a previous government, said he believed royal adviser Sumate Tantivejakul would steer the political reform process.
Elections would be called when it was done and Thaksin, Thailand's longest serving elected prime minister, would be allowed to take part, he said.
"NO ALTERNATIVE"
After mass street protests against him in Bangkok, Thaksin, winner of two election landslides, called a snap poll in April, hoping his rural following would counter his metropolitan foes.
However, opposition parties argued he had skewed neutral bodies such as the Election Commission in his favor and boycotted the poll. That rendered the election result invalid.
Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party was expected to win a re-run tentatively scheduled for late November, increasing pressure on his opponents in the military and the old establishment to resort to removing him by force.
The prolonged crisis had slowed economic growth and hit the stock market as consumer confidence waned and the coup was likely to damage investor faith in Thailand further.
The Thai baht, one of Asia's strongest currencies this year, suffered its biggest fall in three years within hours of the coup.
Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's put Thailand's credit rating on review for possible downgrades as a result of the coup.
News of the coup helped lift the dollar and U.S. Treasuries as some investors ducked into safe havens.
Edited to add . . . :
Warnings over Thailand travel
POSTED: 0159 GMT (0959 HKT), September 19, 2006
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The United States has urged Americans to reconsider any travel to Thailand while Britain told its citizens living there to stay in their homes, after the Thai military topped the country's prime minister in a coup.
Australia advised its citizens to exercise "extreme caution" in the Thai capital, where tanks surrounded government offices, and to avoid political rallies or concentrations of military personnel.
"In light of the very uncertain political situation and apparent military-led takeover of the government, we strongly advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Thailand until the situation is clarified," the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
It asked those already in the capital to stay at home, and monitor the media.
The U.S. Embassy, in an e-mail to its citizens living in Thailand, said that while there had been no reports of violence in the overnight coup, Americans should "monitor the situation closely, avoid any large gatherings and exercise discretion when moving about the city."
"At this point, we are not advising Americans to leave Thailand; however, Americans planning to travel to Thailand may wish to carefully consider their options before traveling until the situation becomes clearer."
Britain's Foreign Office, in a notice on its Web site, warned that movement in the capital may be curtailed due to the imposition of martial law that came as the Thai Prime Minister was in New York attending the U.N. General Assembly.
Japan on Wednesday warned its citizens in Thailand to take extreme caution.
"Those visiting Thailand should try to obtain the latest information, and stay at home or hotel," according to the ministry's overseas travel advisory published early Wednesday.
"Japanese staying in Thailand should also avoid the palace, the government headquarters and concentrations of military personnel," the advisory said, urging others planning a trip to the Southeast Asian country to postpone their trip.
New Zealand also warned its citizens in Thailand to be careful when moving around the city.
"Don't go sightseeing around government buildings. If a curfew is imposed -- and there is talk of a curfew -- then it should be respected," Ambassador Brook Barrington told Radio New Zealand in Wellington.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was assessing whether to change its advisory for Thailand.
The coup appeared to cause little stir in Bangkok's popular tourist districts, where foreigners packed beer bars and cabarets just a few kilometers from where the tanks were posted.
. . . + Last Week's Headline . . . :
Bangkok's airport faces nervous start
By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok
The huge terminal is due to open at the end of September
Anyone travelling to Bangkok from the end of September will find themselves flying not into the dilapidated old airport at Don Muang, but into a brand new, state-of-the art airport situated 25km east of the capital.
Called Suvarnabhumi (Golden Land), the project was held back by frequent changes of government in Thailand, until the election of Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister five years ago, who made it a personal priority to get the airport built.
Even now Suvarnabhumi is mired in controversy over allegations of corruption during its construction and complaints from the travel industry that Mr Thaksin is forcing it to open before it has been fully tested.
From a distance it shimmers in the heat, a series of huge steel-and-glass hoops and sweeping triangles of fabric glinting with the sun.
We want it to open only when it is operationally ready
Albert Tjoeng, IATA
Up close, the sheer size of the main airport terminal - the world's biggest single terminal building - takes your breath away.
Designed by the renowned architect Helmut Jahn, with concessions to indigenous Thai motifs that are hard to spot in the uncompromisingly modern design, this is building on a monumental scale, building that is meant to impress.
But will it work? Will it be as good to use as it is to look at?
'Not ready'
IATA, the International Air Transport Association, which represents the world's airlines, and therefore Suvarnabhumi's main customers, is not convinced it will be, at least in the first few weeks. Nor is much of Thailand's travel industry.
"We want Suvarnabhumi to be a success," says Albert Tjoeng, from IATA. "But we want it to open only when it is operationally ready - there needs to be more meaningful consultation between the airport and the airlines which will use it."
Complaints by airlines about the cost of using the new airport have forced AOT, the airport authority, to bring down the charges.
But the airlines are far more worried that the airport will not be fully tested by the time it opens on 28 September and that there will be problems handling passengers, baggage and security.
= probable chaos and uncertainty about all travel within, into and out of Thailand for the foreseeable future.
________________________________
. . . and I'll pull this up from my answer in the comments below:
My immediate concern is that travel into, within and out of Thailand is going to be chaotic for weeks and likely months. There are reports of military curfews, even in tourist areas. Hashers are an adventurous and relatively fearless lot, but I think fully half of the 6,000 or so attendees are likely to cancel for the event. Therefore, I see no way I'll be able to unload my two tickets on the market. I suspect the organizers are going to have to consider cancelling or postponing indefinitely. The new airport is scheduled to start flights next week and is not ready = further chaos.
There is already a military dictatorship in neighboring Myanmar (Burma), and they have ties with the Thai military. Can't really foresee much overspilling into Lao, Cambodia & Viet Nam. But this Thai General in charge is a Muslim, and Thai is overwhelmingly Buddhist. The violence in the South around Hat Yai has killed some 1,400 people in the last two years is mostly a Muslim insurrection. That area is largely Muslim and closely tied with Malaysian Muslim groups.
I think this is a Very Big Deal that is going to clamp down on Thai tourism, economy and freedom for quite a long time. If it escalates into Muslim vs. Buddhists, well, that will further incite problems in Bali (Indonesia), Malaysia, Philippines and the whole Middle-Eastern mess.
For an international relations instructor, this is a fascinating subject . . . .