Coup 2006: the morning after

Martial law has been declared. The army in power have called themselves, ironically, the Council for Democratic Reform with Gen. Lt. Sonthi as the head. Constitution is terminated, cabinet is dissolved.

Thai television channels have been showing Sonthi read out statements, the communiques are translated to English on the BBC website.

Curfews are going to cramp my style.

Coups have a flawed logic, in general. I have never understood how bringing in the army to restore order makes sense to anybody else. Especially in this case. In past coups in this country, and coups in much of the rest of the developing world, the army came to power and retained power for a myriad of political reasons. But in this case, it is absurd. It is undemocratic for a military government to restore democracy. If power must be put in the hands of the people then it is the people who must reclaim it, own it, demand it, protect it. If Thaksin wins election after election, then either the electoral system is flawed or voters are ill-advised or opposition campaigns are weak. He was put in power by the people and he must be removed from power by the people - not a coup.

And still we are cut off from CNN-BBC. It was on cable! I pay for that! I am a disgruntled consumer - far more powerful than a voter.