Thailand Update — Three months into the coup

It has been three months since the military took over control of Thailand, so where is the country now? Here we take at the current state of affairs in the Land of Smiles …

Things in Asia are rarely as simple as they seem and the coup that took place in Thailand in May is no different.  While the Western media sensationalized the military presence, the reality of the situation on the ground is much more complicated.

After six months of widespread protests, marred by random outbreaks of violence, the military take-over was welcomed by some in Bangkok. Since the coup, the camps of protesters have been cleared, the random acts of violence have ceased and Lumphini Park has been restored and returned to the public. In an attempt to garner support the military have also been cracking down on corruption in Bangkok, as well as targeting corruption on the island of Phuket. They have also cleared the island of illegal sun loungers and beach businesses — a move welcomed by most visitors.

Country-wide they have been enforcing laws that the police department have systematically ignored for some time. Taxi mafias, lumber smugglers and those carrying weapons have all been targeted by military operations. This means that in some ways the situation is actually vastly improved over the protests we saw 3 months ago.

That said, the recent bout of law enforcement has come at a cost to local residents who have seen their freedoms erode. While the military has been getting the public face of Thailand in order they have also been quashing dissenting opinions behind the scenes. Journalists, academics and pro-democracy activists have been arrested, threatened and temporarily detained since May, as the junta looks to maintain control.

Gatherings of more than 5 people are still banned and the military is keeping a tight leash on the freedom of the press.

The military has set October 2015 as the next hypothetical election date and it looks like they plan to continue with their happiness campaign — a public relations campaign that looks to improve their image — until election time.

In the meantime, the markets have responded to the current stability and tourism is bouncing back in the Land of Smiles. As military coups are nothing new in Thailand, life has gone on seemingly with little notice to the much-hyped coup.

So how are things in Thailand? To steal a regional phrase: the same same but different.