I guess if the takeover has no violent resitance, and a good does of popular support you can get results like that.
From what I heard the coup is supported by many in the cities, and among the wealthy, who see the prime minister as corrupt, but the prime minister apparently had more support in the rural areas because he shifted development money there.
Some more about the coup (it not all cute)
Thailand clamps down on media after coup
Reuters
Thursday, September 21, 2006; 8:55 AM
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's coup leaders barred electronic media on Thursday from disseminating news and comments they deemed a threat to national security and the monarchy.
The Information Ministry summoned radio, television and Internet operators to "seek cooperation" in enforcing the order "to restrict, control, stop or destroy information deemed to affect the constitutional monarchy."...
washingtonpost.com
Thai coup leaders ban political meetings - UPDATE
BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - Thailand's coup leaders banned political parties from holding meetings or from conducting any other activities, according to a statement read on national television.
'In order to maintain law and order, meetings of political parties and conducting of other political activities are banned,' the statement said.
'Political gatherings of more than five people have already been banned, but political activities can resume when normalcy is restored,' it said.
The statement also said that the office of the auditor general will remain in operation, a decision that clears the way for corruption investigations against the ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The coup leader, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, said yesterday that Thaksin could face prosecution for charges already filed against him, including complaints of corruption and vote fraud.
forbes.com
In pictures: Thailand coup reaction
news.bbc.co.uk
U.S. denounces Thailand coup
seattlepi.nwsource.com
Timeline of Thailand's coup
hindustantimes.com
Thailand coup has little impact on locals in-country
By Ryan Bentley
Wednesday, September 20, 2006 3:19 PM EDT
News-Review staff writer
and Kendall P. Stanley
News-Review managing editor
BANGKOK - Soldiers in the street was the only sign of a military coup along one of Bangkok's major thoroughfares today, the second day of a takeover of the Thai government.
“We've seen the soldiers on the streets, but no tanks,” said Bree Baughman while riding the Sky Train along Sukhumvit Road. “Everything is fine.”
Which is a relief to her parents, Diana and Kendall Stanley of Petoskey, and also to Jeannie Gorkiewicz and Denny Phelps of Charlevoix, whose daughter, Liza Gorkiewicz, lives in the same building as Baughman.
The two women teach at international schools in Thailand's capital.
By the time the parents caught up with their daughters Tuesday evening, they were aware of the coup, but all local television and satellite TV links had been taken over by the military and they weren't able to get outside reports.
“People said there was a curfew, but we were able to go the ATM and get money out and the vendors were on the street,” Baughman said. Food street vendors fill the sidewalks of Bangkok much of the day.
They were keeping track of the goings-on in the capital city with the aid of a Thai friend who more easily translated the Thai announcements from the military.
In their neighborhood, it was life as usual.
They were told not to come to work, joking as Petoskey and Charlevoix graduates that it was a “snow day” from school.
Today, Baughman said she still has not heard when school will resume.
“A lot of people stayed home today, so we're just going to the movies,” she said.
The coup also brought concern to a group of Petoskey teachers.
Central Elementary School teacher Carolyn Matzinger, one of five educators who recently visited schools in Thailand as part of a Rotary exchange, said she wasn't particularly surprised to learn of the military takeover Tuesday.
“I guess just talking with teachers and people we met, Rotarians and reading the paper, I got a sense that all was not ducky,” she said, noting that newly ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been a polarizing figure.
After reading news of the coup online, “my gut-level sense was of relief because it wasn't violent,” she said. “People that I knew didn't appear to be in mortal danger.
“That being said, it's sad to think that it had to come to a non-democratic way to change the government.”
Though Thailand's monarch, King Bhumibol, is said to have given tacit approval to the military takeover, “it's also fascinating to think that the king really is above this fray,” Matzinger added.
The Central teacher said the degree of respect which Bhumibol - whose power is mostly symbolic but who's long been active in promoting social welfare - commands among the Thai public is striking...
petoskeynews.com
Muslim insurgency called factor in coup
Sep 20, 2006
bpnews.net
Thailand's opposition demands elections in six months
09/21/2006
Coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said on Wednesday a new civilian prime minister would be chosen in two weeks after which the generals would "step out".
Thailand's coup leaders should call elections in six months and accelerate political reforms if they are serious about a swift return to democratic rule, opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Thursday.
"We cannot and do not support any kind of extra-constitutional change, but it's done," Abhisit told Reuters two days after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown in a bloodless coup.
"The country has to move forward and the best way forward is for the coup leaders to quickly return power to the people and carry out reforms they promised," he said.
Coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said on Wednesday a new civilian prime minister would be chosen in two weeks after which the generals would "step out".
But he said it would take a year to craft a new constitution to be put to a public referendum and then followed by elections.
"There is no need to write a brand new constitution," said Abhisit, 42, who became head of Thailand's oldest party after a crushing election defeat by Thaksin in February 2005.
Six months enough
The Democrats boycotted the snap poll Thaksin called in April to defuse a street campaign against him. The election was annulled by the courts and a re-run was expected in November before Tuesday's putsch rewrote the political landscape.
Abhisit said the 1997 "Peoples Charter" constitution was basically sound but Thaksin had exploited flaws in its checks and balances.
"They could make changes to the 1997 constitution and if that's case, there is no reason to take a year," Abhisit said, adding: "Six months is a good time."
Although widely applauded at home, the coup leaders should heed international condemnation of their actions and lift restrictions on basic rights, Abhisit said.
Lifting of restrictions
The military has banned political gatherings of more than five people and restricted information critical of the coup from being distributed on the Internet or broadcast on
television.
"They have to prove themselves. I urge them to lift all restrictions as soon as possible," the Eton and Oxford educated Abhisit said.
Thai newspapers have been full of speculation about the next Prime Minister, but Abhisit gave no preferred choice.
eitb24.com
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