I’d heard the rumours, of course. But I only heard that tanks were actually rolling via the internet at around 10.30pm on Tuesday night. A flick through to the BBC and CNN websites confirmed that a coup d’état was indeed in progress.
Faced with such phrases as “military coup”, “tanks surround parliament” and “martial law”, I recoiled, and resorted to the only kind of dramatic action conceivable to a red-blooded Englishman. I went to the pub.
Thai TV was showing the patriotic stock footage of the King on all channels, set to traditional Thai music, with karaoke-style sing-a-long subtitles. But the Chang was flowing, the waitresses were flirting with us, and aside from the TV there was no hint that anything odd was happening.
Today I’ve been to the Thai parliament where I saw lots of soldiers (but no tanks), armed to the teeth but with yellow ribbons (signifying loyalty to the King) tied to the barrels of their guns. Then to Democracy Monument where civilians and military alike seemed to be gathering in advance of something…
Deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is apparently going to be seeking refuge in London, England. I think that he should be allowed to stay. But only for 30 days, after which he should be forced to go on a border run to Wales in a minibus full of English teachers, and after 90 days he should have to return to Thailand to apply for a full visa.
But in all seriousness, surely the real burning issue here; the sixty-four thousand dollar question, is this:
Will the Long Gun be showing tonight? And what time’s closing time?
I’ll let you know…
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