Expected Coup To Save "Face" Of The Thai Royal Family

Well, that didn't take long. Just 2 days after declaring martial law, Thailand's army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized control of the government in yet another coup.

Now this doesn't come as a surprise to anyone as the Thai military has been quietly but openly supporting the anti-government activists backed by the royalist establishment. Anti-government protesters have been struggling to oust the government for six months but they have been losing steam and something has to be done to save the face of the royal establishment. It was so obvious that acting Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan refused to attend a meeting with the anti-government forces brokered by the military and instead sending 4 of his ministers to the meeting. All 4 ministers has been detained by the military.

Now the Thai military may insist it was not seizing power, instead trying to prevent violence and restore stability in the deeply divided country, however good luck finding anyone who believe that crap. The sad thing about the whole episode? The anti-government, royal-backed yellow shirt have no chance in any free and fair election in Thailand! There are far more pro-government red shirts than there are yellow shirts. It's not even close. Even the yellow shirts admit that.

So the only way for the yellow shirts to win is to NOT have free and fair elections. It didn't escape notice that the general did not say anything about when new elections will be held.

The last military coup in 2006 threw the popularity of the Thai military into the toilet; this one is going to flush it down into an abyss. Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha better postpone his retirement plans; he's going to be in the hot seat for quite awhile.