The breaking news from The Nation:
Coup rumours were widely spread Tuesday night after the Third and Fifth Army areas moved their four battalions out.
But officers from the two army areas said the forces were moved to be stationed in the three southern border provinces as part of personnel rotation there.
The 31st Infantry Regimen also moved out its personnel as part of the rotation with soldiers in the deep South, the officers said.
The 23rd and 24th Cavalry Battalions and the Second Cavalry Division also moved out their personnel to rotate with soldiers at the Pha Muang Task Force in Phetchabun.
The officers said the massive movements of the soldiers apparently led to the coup rumours.
And the bigger-picture story from Reuters:
Even though Thailand’s last military coup was 15 years ago, when Bangkok motorists spotted tanks rolling down the street last week, many thought the army was up to its old tricks once again.
“I received more than 10 calls from people saying they had seen several tanks on the street and asking in a shaky voice if there was a coup,” said Jakrapan Kunanyatirakul of FM 91 traffic radio.
“We called the army for an explanation and the answer was it was troops returning from up-country exercises.”
With Thailand mired in a political crisis now in its ninth month and tensions escalating between the army, police, palace and government, the callers could not be accused of being paranoid.
Military chiefs vow the army will stay out of the mess left by April’s annulled election, but with 23 coups or attempted coups during 74 years of on-off democracy, many view their protestations with skepticism.
“Although the chances of success now are much less, it’s almost impossible to dismiss fears of a coup here since we still have many politically active soldiers,” said security analyst Panitan Wattanayakorn at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University.