The big news in Bangkok today is that the city’s long-awaited new airport has finally opened.
– CNN:
Bangkok opens much-delayed air hub
– Spluch:
World class airport with no air-conditioning?
– More airport photos at 2Bangkok.com.
– The award for best airport story goes to the IHT’s Tom Fuller:
Key passages:
The official inauguration of Suvarnabhumi, which is pronounced Sawana-poom, will […]
I’ve got a new story over at Tripmaster Monkey. It’s called “My First Coup.”
[Image via 2Bangkok.com]
I’m particularly busy at the moment, so my daily postings regarding the “smooth as silk” coup will be a bit sparse for a little while. In the meantime, check out BangkokPundit, who’s doing a great job of keeping tabs on the situation.
AP:
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra may have whisked some of his assets out of the country aboard two aircraft days before a military coup ousted him from power, airline officials said Sunday.
An official from Thai Airways International, who demanded anonymity because company policy did not allow him to speak to the press, said he wanted […]
[Image: New York Times]
Things’re still quiet here in Bangkok; there was a very small protest at Siam Paragon mall last night. It drew between 15 and 100 protesters, depending on who you ask. By all accounts the numbers of journalists and onlookers outnumbered the protesters. The biggest question today is when a new PM will […]
The IHT’s Tom Fuller:
Thai Junta Imposes Curbs on News Media
The WSJ’s James Hookway has a good story:
Was Thai Coup Pre-Emptive?
AP:
Coup raises fresh questions about press freedom in Thailand
Seattle Times:
Some travelers wary after Thailand coup, but tourism impacts expected to be brief
The Independent’s Justin Huggler:
Democracy is dead, but Bangkok’s 24-hour party people still live […]
UPDATE: The show has aired; you can listen to it here (it can be streamed or downloaded as an mp3). I come on after a couple of minutes. The host, Sydnie Kohara, provides some good context regarding the situation.
I was just interviewed by Pacific Time, a radio program that covers “the ideas, trends and cultural […]
I spent four hours this afternoon walking around Bangkok and taking photos and talking to people. The image above very clearly illustrates the situation on the ground: Soldiers stand guard, while behind them civilians go about their daily lives. To the right, the two symbols of the nation — the country’s tri-colored flag and a […]
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, was overthrown 24 hours ago in a bloodless coup.
History is in the making here in the Thai capital.
And while the images and stories flowing out of Thailand might portray an unstable city, a strange sense of calm has descended upon the normally frenetic Bangkok. The streets, which typically overflow with […]
Here’re a few links to media coverage this historic Wednesday morning. I’ll be away from the Internet for the next eight hours or so, but will be back soon with more info and hopefully some analysis. Foreign cable TV networks — BBC, CNN, etc. — are off the air in Bangkok, but Thai stations, mobile […]
UPDATE:
– 2Bangkok.com:
Sources say troops are at the Communications Authority of Thailand. This means the military can turn off mobile phones and the internet if necessary.
– There are also reports that cable channels are no longer being broadcast in Bangkok.
– CNN:
Tanks and troops patrolled Bangkok early Wednesday after the chief of Thailand’s army said the […]
UPDATE:
– CNN International reports that martial law has been declared in Bangkok.
– AP:
Stocks dropped suddenly Tuesday after Thailand’s military launched a coup against the country’s prime minister.
Traders watching Thailand closely are certain to remember how trouble in the kingdom has had worldwide implications in the past: The Asia currency crisis that erupted in 1997 began […]
UPDATE:
– CNN reports:
Around the royal palace in Bangkok, four tanks were parked as were a number of armored vehicles and Humvees, CNN’s Dan Rivers reported. Soldiers appeared to be setting up roadblocks and what appeared to be members of the royal guard surrounded the palace.
It was unclear if the soldiers were loyal to the government […]
BBC:
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok amid reports of a coup attempt.
Soldiers have entered Government House and tanks have moved into position around the building.
Mr Thaksin, who is at the UN in New York, announced he had removed the chief of the army and had ordered troops not […]
An update to my last post: CNN is reporting that tanks are rolling through the streets of Bangkok. Prime Minister Thaksin has declared a state of emergency. A coup attempt appears to be under way. Stay tuned…