Eric's Beijing Diary

Hmmm... It now appears that Thaksin Shinawatra was pushed aside because he had a plan to replace the general who led the coup. The general acted before that could happen while Shinawatra was out of the country. So it looks like a power struggle masterminded by the general. But it is very important to understand that in Thailand, the general could never do this successfully without the acquiescence of the king. So Shinawat's disregard for the king is really the root of the problem. Actually, I would say his problem is more basic. He didn't know when to quit. Technically, he shouldn't have had to quit, as long as he was winning elections. But in a country like Thailand, life is not that simple.

As I said earlier, I do not foresee any great problem, but it is troubling that the military has this kind of power. Thailand is of interest, because it is important to the stability of Asia. And it is a place of moderation in a rather unstable area. For example, much of the assistance going to refugees in Burma is coming in through the jungle across the Thai border. And Chiangmai is the new trendy retirement location for people who want to live a retirement lifestyle that would cost much more in other places.