THAI BOMB PLOT

It was the bomb plot a month ago that triggered the coup. You can read about it *HERE*. I speculate, and many others agree, that Prime Minister Thaksin set up the supposed assassination attempt on himself. He then fired the general who headed army intelligence. That was an escalation of difficulties here that had seemed to reach an impasse.

If true, those were the actions of a desperate man. There is usually a sort of brotherhood among general officers, even among those who may have political differences. It is a serious thing to sack one without having good reason, and the reason here was suspect to say the least.

Significant people believed that it was just the beginning of an overhaul of the general staff. Thaksin, people believed, wanted firm control of the military. For what? People believed he wanted to use force to put down the demonstrations in the cities. He had already made some moves to bring troops more loyal to him into Bangkok.

Take a look at the pictures of the demonstrations below. Can you imagine how much force it would take to suppress that mass of humanity?

So Thaksin was removed.

No one comes out looking well as a result of this. Thaksin won a general election. He very likely would have won the next election. His opposition refused to accept the results.

That is the way things work in Thailand.