Bangkok 22/)9/06

And so the dust has settled.

This has to have been the most well mannered coup d'etat I have ever heard of. The military (who are calling themselves "The council for democratic reform" ) have a female spokesperson (for a kinder and gentler political dictatorship). In fact they have even had time (and presence of mind) to take polls and yes the vast majority of Thai's approve of the coup. Even the King has said it's ok with him, and as everyone knows if it's ok with the King it's ok with everybody else. There is a belief that a coup is a legitimate political tool. Weirder and weirder, instead of arresting (or shooting) the ousted leaders they have merely been "shifted to inactive posts", except of course the Caretaker Prime minister Thaksin who is conveniently out of the country, and (also conveniently) has just bought himself a brand new expensive house in London last month.

Presence of mind has been a key component of this coup, everyone kept there heads and everyone kept their heads(thank you pulp fiction). We all got the day off work, tourists got to have their picture taken with khaki clad guys in tanks while holding copies of the Bkk post boldly declaring "coup d'etat" (that's a headline they've recycled). children played with soldiers in the streets, everyone wore yellow (the Kings colour) and got to hand flowers to the guys with guns (groovy man) it was a real love-in of a coup, the next day at school, we raised the same flag the kids sang the same National anthem, pledged allegiance to the same King and we wait to see what this coup really means.

My Boss Darrin , otherwise known as the velociraptor, was explaining to me today that democracy doesn't really work in "these Asian countries" (I noded my head in the appropriate places) he propounded further that a fair dictatorship is really best for them, this idea of a benign dictatorship like Plato's arguments for a limited democracy appear superficially to the likes of me riddled with flaws, perhaps luckily, our conversation was interrupted, I did mention I have two job interviews next week for alternative positions didn't I.

Anyway time for a nap.
Love N.J.