2014 Coup in Thailand: Impact on the Traveler

This article was a kind of summary of daily life during the 2014 coup d'état that would turn the daily lives of Thais upside down for a while... And as I write these lines in 2021, the general who instigated the putsch is still the Prime Minister and therefore the leader of the country for almost 7 years. I leave it as is as a testimony of the experience of this episode in my life in Thailand.

What's happening in Thailand?

This is a bit of a question that is being asked at the moment, in the face of observed troop movements and the silence of the army. Officially denied, the movements being military vehicles and troops preparing for the army day that will take place on January 18, the rumors have nevertheless become persistent in recent days.

I would like to point out in passing that the photo illustrating the article dates from the 2006 coup d'état which ousted the then Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, the very same person who was at the origin of the current unrest which has been going on for 8 years now...

Let's take a look at the state of the protests and what's coming up in Bangkok starting next week.

Bangkok shutdown, last chance operation

As you may have read somewhere, the group of protesters led by their leader Suthep Thungsaban, former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, will block Bangkok from January 13th and for an indefinite period. The goal is to definitively throw out the current government headed by the sister of the famous Thaksin, Yingluck Shinawatra, at the head of it, at least on an interim basis because early elections are planned for February 2nd following the major demonstrations of the group (which calls itself The People's Democratic Reform Committee or PDRC), that is to say very soon.

Here is a map of the planned blocking points:

A detail of the 7 intersections aimed at blocking Bangkok:

Concretely, what will this result in?

From a practical point of view for tourists and locals, it's going to be a mess to get around in Bangkok, unless you take hotels close to points of interest (which is the case of Khao San Road, also close to the Democracy Monument, their base point...) and use the metro lines, it would be better to stay out of Bangkok that day.

How long will this last?

Good question, as I said earlier it is "undetermined", difficult to predict in the face of the determination and the grumbling of the PDRC. The army remains for the moment "neutral" but suggests that if it turns into violence the government will be the one to blame... The Reds, fervent supporters of the government they elected (and almost worship Thaksin) are also starting to regroup but have been cautious and reasonable to date by specifying that they do not plan to join the capital to avoid conflict.

But what are the protesters asking for?

Another excellent question given the political imbroglio that is Thailand, without going into details, the PDRC is asking, in addition to the resignation of the government (although the latter, as I said above, has already set up early elections), they want major reforms aimed among other things at stemming the problems of corruption, in particular by having the provincial governors elected by the people (currently appointed by the Minister of the Interior, with the exception of the one in Bangkok, elected by the population), reforms on the appointments of police chiefs and above all of course getting rid of the "Thaksin clan" once and for all.

Where the problem lies is the establishment of an unelected People's Council to start this reform process for 12 to 18 months. The government does not want to give up on this. This council would be made up of people from different backgrounds and political leanings, "neutral" people who would have the task of changing Thai politics, putting things in order through reforms aimed at granting less power to the same people. In practice, discord is created because some find the process undemocratic, others simply because they are starting to get tired of seeing Bangkok systematically taken hostage and see it only as a conflict of interests between two clans (often wrongly defined as a class struggle).

What to remember

That if the situation is worrying from the outside, with tourist numbers having notably fallen by 20% at the end of the year, on the ground the vision is quite different, in this case no worse than the previous clashes of 2009 and 2010, with the exception of 2008 when the airport was blocked by the yellows, the royalists, taking in pincers the tourists of the time, stuck in the land of smiles... Yellows who today are often assimilated as being those forming the PDRC, which is not entirely accurate.

Airport whose movement leaders, also called the "blowing whistle" (the movement, not the leaders I specify), the whistle blowers, because their trademark is to demonstrate to the sound of whistles, assure that this one will not be involved in the blockades. With all that there have already been more than a hundred flights canceled.

Here is a note from the French Embassy in Thailand on the subject:

The leaders of the "People's Democratic Reform Committee" have repeatedly stated that no
The operation would not target public transport and the international airports of Suvarnabhumi and Dong Muang.
The authorities, for their part, indicated that they had taken measures to ensure the best possible transport of passengers.
between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok. However, it is strongly recommended that people needing to take
the plane to allow a margin of four hours.

146 schools will close as a precaution and to avoid unnecessarily clogging the roads on January 13th, some are worried from an economic point of view because a blocked city is not good for doing business...

Don't be surprised if you see tanks rolling into town, with 18 attempted coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932 (11 of them successful, the last one being in 2006) Thailand is no stranger to them.

Know that if this happens it is not bloody, in any case, stay informed but the historical sites of Bangkok (mostly in the Rattanakosin district) should not be affected. The rest of the city and the country should, as usual, function normally, *sabai sabai we tell you!

[Edit on 15.01.14: Note that there is some sporadic violence at night near gathering places, some speculate on a "return" of the "3rd group", already suspected at the time of the violence of 2010... Avoid gathering places as much as possible at least at night]

Updates

– EDIT June 11, 2014: Little by little things are “freeing up”, the curfew is also lifted in the following 17 provinces: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Roi Et, Loei, Surin, Tak, Sukhothai, Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, Phrae, Nan, Trang and Satun.

While in Trat, Petchburi and Songkhla only tourist areas are exempt from curfew.

This remains in force in 50 provinces including Bangkok (still from midnight to 4 a.m.)

– EDIT June 10, 2014: New regions are now exempt from curfew, namely Krabi, Phang Nga, Trang, Hat Yai, Ko Chang, Chaam, Hua Hin and Ko Phangan (full moon required).

The military begins reforms. These include ending some privileges for government officers, such as eliminating free flights via Thai Airways.

– EDIT June 5, 2014: Yesterday was an event by the junta "Happiness for the people". Concerts, a good atmosphere, photos with the soldiers in armor who lend themselves to the game, a health check-up not to mention the free meals distributed, a surreal event at Victory Monument, Bangkok as only Thailand can offer... A good PR stunt to remind that the soldiers are there for the well-being of the people, and clearly it works because there were a lot of people.

– EDIT June 1, 2014: The curfew has been lifted in certain places so as not to have too much of an impact on tourism, the places concerned are Pattaya, Phuket and Ko Samui (normally there will also be an exception in Ko Phangan for the full moon), elsewhere the curfew is still in effect between midnight and 4 a.m.

The immigration office service in Chaeng Wattana (Government Complex) is open and operational again since Monday, June 02.

– EDIT June 1, 2014: While the military and police had cordoned off an entire neighborhood to prevent possible anti-coup demonstrations, the demonstrators did show up, but in another part of the city! In this case, on Sukhumvit in Asok, they forced the Terminal 21 store to close its doors for security reasons while a herd of journalists almost outnumbering the demonstrators themselves jostled the tourists present in order to get their scoop…

As a reminder, the curfew is still in effect between midnight and 4 a.m. An exception could be made for the upcoming full moon on Ko Phangan…

– EDIT May 31, 2014:

The junta announced in a televised speech last night that the good of the country was their priority, thus justifying that there would be no elections for 15 months.

Country first, democracy will follow…

While the army has announced that it wants to anticipate any demonstrations in the Ratchaprasong district (the department stores, the soldiers having heard of a possible demonstration planned for midday)

As a result, Gaysorn Plaza, Amarin Plaza and Erawan Bangkok stores will close on Sunday, they will reopen normally on Monday.

Central World will only open in the afternoon from 14pm to 22pm this Sunday.

Platinum Fashion Mall maintains its usual hours (8am – 20pm).

The new Central Embassy and Central Chidlom will also open normally at 10am.

Phloenchit Road will close between the intersection at Chidlom and Chaloem Phao (where Rama I Road intersects with Henri Dunant Road next to Siam Paragon). Ratchadamri Road will also be closed between the old AUA building and Big C supermarket.

The elevated pedestrian walkway from Siam Paragon to Chidlom (passing through Ratchaprasong intersection where Central World and Erawan Shrine are located) will be closed. The skytrain will not stop at Chidlom, Phloenchit (Sukhumvit Line) and Ratchadamri (Silom Line) stations.

-EDIT May 29, 2014:
Not much for today, things are calming down, the police had anticipated a possible new demonstration at Victory Monument this evening, closing the access roads and creating chaos at the Ari BTS station.

In the end, only a small student demonstration in a university that did not last is worth mentioning. Meanwhile, journalists, soldiers and police waited, for nothing because no one showed up, while this time they had intended to take the demonstrators away by having prepared the trucks.

Thailand has never been very media friendly but the tone has hardened since the coup.

-EDIT May 28, 2014: It is 16 p.m. Bangkok time (11 a.m. in France) Facebook has just been censored, at least many people are having difficulty connecting to it, for the moment Twitter remains accessible.

The army posted a tweet explaining that it had technical problems... Facebook is now accessible again.

Due to the shortening of the curfew, most shops and restaurants are resuming their normal opening hours.

New MRT timetables following curfew schedule change.

-EDIT May 27, 2014: Yesterday the junta received the approval of the king to administer the country provisionally, the time to proceed with reforms and set up new elections which should take place before the end of the year.

The anti-coup protesters gathered as planned at Victory Monument, the numbers were small, traffic remained open and the BTS was operating normally (no stations closed).

The curfew is hampering tourism and businesses and could be relaxed shortly.

21:00 p.m.: It is confirmed, the curfew is only maintained between midnight and 4:XNUMX a.m.

Again for anyone planning to come to Thailand, there is no need to worry, the country is functioning relatively as usual and there is no particular danger.

-EDIT May 26, 2014: Today again, anti-coup protesters gathered at Victory Monument. The road was blocked late in the afternoon. The protesters are quite few in number (there were almost no more journalists…), they dispersed on their own at 19pm, announcing that they will return tomorrow.

BTS stations Sanam Pao, Victory Monument and Phaya Thai may be closed again by the time they return.

The curfew is normally still in effect at 22pm. Obviously some places (and tourists) are totally ignoring it:

10:24pm – RT @willythuan: Right now in Patong – apparently tourists don't take curfew too seriously! pic.twitter.com/WIzsZb6MSM #ThaiCoup

— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) May 26, 2014

Photos of the day:

-EDIT May 25, 2014: Ratchaprasong area (in front of Amarin Plaza, near Erawan Shrine/Central World) is agitated by anti-coup protesters, the army is keeping them in the area. The BTS will not stop at Chidlom and Ploen Chit stations until the situation is under control.

Strong military presence in the area as well as on Wireless Road (embassy districts including the US).

In contrast, it is the usual calm in the rest of Bangkok.]

Message from the Embassy:

Three days after the military coup, opponents of the junta are increasingly defying the ban on gatherings.
In Bangkok, marches converged on Victory Monument Square, particularly through the Ratchaprasong district. Demonstrations also took place in the provinces, particularly in Chiang Mai.

For your safety, you are strongly urged to avoid all gatherings and protest marches, in Bangkok and in the provinces, and in particular the Victory Monument Square in the Thai capital.

As a reminder, the curfew is still in effect from 22 p.m. to 5 a.m. You are strongly advised to respect it.

-EDIT May 24, 2014: Latest message from the French Embassy in Thailand:

The situation is calm throughout the country. The curfew is still in effect between 22 p.m. and 5 a.m. It is strongly recommended to respect it.
It is also advisable to always carry identification when travelling and to keep informed of the situation.
Travel to and from the airports is possible at any time, despite the curfew. It is advisable to allow a reasonable amount of time before departure due to possible traffic jams.

Indeed the situation is a few, some anti-state activists have demonstrated but without much impact. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her cabinet are for the most part being questioned in the army premises and banned from leaving the country.

The airport is operating normally.

Bangkok authorities (BMA) are finishing clearing the various protest sites, ending at least some blockades.

The latest news is that the 2007 constitution has been repealed.

The Senate was finally dissolved (after having been maintained for a while), meaning that all parliamentary authority now rests with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) headed by the army chief.

General Prayuth is expected to become interim prime minister.

-EDIT May 22, 2014: It's official, Coup in Thailand, the army took power at 16:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. French time) by giving a speech on TV. The programs were also stopped and the army imposed a curfew between 22 p.m. and 5 a.m.. Shops will close earlier than usual (even the 7/11s that are usually open 24/24 will close at 23pm).

I will try to keep you informed of developments (Follow me on Twitter for more live news @ThailandAndAsia). Generally, know that the word "coup d'état" is scary from abroad but it is usual with Thailand (19th coup d'état since 1932) and normally does not affect daily life very much. This evening what I know is that roadblocks are set up in certain provinces and the military checks each vehicle.

Tomorrow schools will be closed and the BTS and MRT have stopped their service from 21 p.m.

Here is the message from the French Embassy:

The commander-in-chief of the army announced a coup d'état on May 22.
The situation is calm. A curfew has just been imposed from this evening between 22 p.m. and 5 a.m. It is strongly recommended to respect it.
For your safety, it is advisable to avoid any demonstrations and gatherings in the coming days, as serious incidents have already occurred.
The main gathering and blockade points to avoid in the capital are currently the following (evolving list):
Utthayan Avenue (formerly Aksa Avenue) in Thawi Watthana district, western Bangkok;
Ratchadamnoen Avenue from Government House (Prime Minister's office) to Fa Lilat Bridge;
the Chaeng Wattana district (“Government Complex”).

For travel to airports, it is recommended to allow a reasonable amount of time before departure due to traffic jams and possible checks.

This is what TV looks like right now:

Thai TV during the 2014 coup

Some protest sites are being cleaned/emptied, Ratchadamnoen (near Khao San Road) and Chaeng Wattana Road will be open to traffic again. However, Chaeng Wattana, where the government complex including the visa and immigration department is located, will not be reopening for some time. If you need to extend a visa, sign for the 90 days etc, you should go to Lad Phrao (in the Big C) or Suksawat.

-EDIT February 23, 2014: Crowded places are now regularly the target of grenade attacks. 3 people including 2 children died after a grenade was thrown right in front of Central World. Without being alarmist, it is better to avoid any place near the PDRC demonstrations, these places include in particular the Silom district, in front of Lumphini, Ratchaprasong (Central World, Pratunam) and Ratchadamnoen (Democracy Monument)]