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Rolling back the tanks

That the idea of democracy and the notion that the place of the military is firmly in the barracks under civilian control cannot be taken for granted is shown by the sudden and condemnable coup staged by the military leadership in Thailand. The 18th coup in Thailand since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, this takeover by Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Army chief, comes 15 years after the last coup. At a time when both the Thais and the rest of the world thought that military coups were a thing of the past, the military leadership took advantage of nearly six months of political turmoil and instability in the country to show its hand. The military leaders, who took over the provincial administration of the country through a "Council of Administrative Reforms" in the name of the King, struck when the embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was away in New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly session. But for the public discontent over the continuance of Mr. Thaksin as Prime Minister, after he won a meaningless victory in an April snap poll that the entire opposition boycotted, Thailand would have surely witnessed a large-scale resistance to the coup. By way of abundant caution, the coup leaders who have also sought public cooperation, have "terminated both Houses of Parliament, the Cabinet and the Constitutional court." In a national telecast, they have promised to "hand back power to the people," as soon as possible. What held back the people from the streets was not only the curfew and the gag on the media, but a television clip showing Gen. Sonthi along with King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Tuesday evening — it was held out as a royal endorsement.

The unexpected military coup is a warning signal to the rest of South East Asia, which has seen military rule in several countries and a period of political instability since the economic meltdown in 1997. All institutions of government including the military and the political parties should work towards the immediate restoration of democratic rule. A general election was in any case supposed to be held in October-November, but the Election Commission was disabled. The military rulers, if they are serious about serving the interests of the country, should step aside and let the courts and the constitutional machinery take control of the situation and move towards the setting up of an independent election body that can hold a general election. All political parties, including Mr. Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai, must be enabled to contest the election and seek a popular mandate. The earlier the elections are held and a democratic government installed the better it is for Thailand and its tenuous economy. The fiercely democratic people and the free media in Thailand will not countenance military rule for long. That the King does not have an abiding faith in democratic values and will have no compunction in teaming up with the military is something that should be kept in mind when reshaping the constitutional structure of the country.

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