Shoes

Shoes After a long term of corruption by Thaksin Shinawatra’s government, the educated Thais and many print media had tried every means to ask Thaksin to step down. The peaceful protests have been going on for over 9 months now. Every unit (including family unit) in Thai society is very divided in opinions. Thailand had never been through this kind of crisis before. The country had never been so divided.

There was no solution for this kind of situation. Thai people have been waiting for change, but nobody wanted to take the action. The Thais also rejected the the coup de'tat because it has been the bloodshed in the past.

Thailand was at the verge of a civil war because it was about to have another mega rally to protest against Thaksin on the street on the 20th that could be violence because it was likely that the Thaksin's supporters would clash with the protesters.

On September 19, Thailand finally experienced another military coup d’etat: the eighteenth coup since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. The coup had saved the country from the bloodshed. It was a very polite and gentle coup after all! There was no fighting, no gun fires, and not a single life was lost. It was successful because many of the soldiers love this nation and they can not allow the Thais to kill each other on the street.   The coup group justified its actions using four reasons. First, the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was engaged in rampant corruption and conflict of interest. Secondly, the government abused its power to control media and manipulated the parliament, the Senate, and the judicial system. Thirdly, the coup group accused Thaksin of disrespecting the monarchy. Finally, the coup was said to have been necessary to prevent the possible bloodshed from an impending confrontation between the pro- and anti-Thaksin movements.
 Therefore, the coup de'tat might seem like a set-back or an "uncivillized" action in a democratic system, but this coup led by a very polite, soft-spoken army commander named Sonthi Boonyagarin happens to win the Thai people's heart because his coup are not the same as any other coups in any other country. They are here to restore peace and order and they have promised a civilian government within one year.   So, while CNN broadcast scarry footage about the tanks and soldiers on TV, but in reality, children and ordinary people have gone out this morning on the street. smiling, posing with the tanks and the soldiers for pictures. Many people have gone to give flowers, food and applauses to the soldiers on the street today !!!

It was a military coup d’etat with smile, flower and camera.

It is good for Thailand to take a step backward if that means peace and progress to the real democracy in the future.

This performance represents Pichet Klunchun’s interpretation toward the military in this coup d’etat. He sees them as helpers who step in to clean up the messy situation in the country.

Pichet Klunchun

BIT Teatergarasjen, Oktoberdans 2006 http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/64