coup tanks

Today we went to Dusit, the area of Bangkok where the main government buildings are located, and I was able to photograph the tanks enforcing the military coup, across the road from Government House.

The tanks are purely symbolic, and the soldiers were happy to receive (equally symbolic) flowers from the public. They were not moving, and are confined to the Dusit district, away from the city centre. Downtown, there are a few soldiers on guard at major intersections, though there has been no violence and everyone is going about their business as usual.

All schools and banks in Bangkok were closed today, though everything will reopen tomorrow. Sonthi has given a press conference, announcing that a new caretaker Prime Minister will be appointed within two weeks, but a general election may not be held for another year.