BANGKOK — On the 19th anniversary of the 19 September 2006 coup that toppled the Thai Rak Thai government and sent Thaksin Shinawatra into 15 years of self-imposed exile, the Thai military marked the occasion with an “Anniversary Coup.” “Plenty of bands do reunion tours — we figured it was time to relive our glory days by peacefully storming Government House and Parliament,” said now-retired Sonthi Boonyaratglin, 78, former army chief and architect of the original coup, grinning from the hatch of an M41A3 Walker Bulldog as he clattered down Phitsanulok Road. “Our old comrade Sathiraphan Keyanon isn’t with us anymore, but a fortune teller promised he’ll show up in ghost form later tonight,” added former Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, 77. “The royalist establishment’s been jittery that progressive policies could make a comeback if order isn’t restored. Honestly, we waited for General Tharapong Malakham to make a move, and when he didn’t, we weren’t about to sit around for Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut to start redistributing wealth, or whatever,” Chalit said from his resurrected command post on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue, watching live drone footage of troops closing in to secure Democracy Monument. At press time, the former coup leaders complained of a light breeze, and asked for a sweater.
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