Word: monarchism
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...racehorse, and governments are merely jockeys who come and go," said Privy Councilor Prem Tinsulanonda, a former army chief and Prime Minister, during a speech to cadets in July 2006. "The [military's] owners are the nation and the King." Under Thailand's constitution, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a constitutional monarch, is commander in chief, although he does not appear to involve himself directly in military affairs. Two months after Prem's speech, the army ousted elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup. Over the past several weeks, the protesters on the streets of Bangkok demanding that Abhisit dissolve...
...While the coup against Thaksin came as a surprise because there hadn't been one in 14 years, military ousters have been commonplace throughout modern Thai history. The military has staged 18 successful coups since 1932, when a group of army officers and intellectuals overthrew the last absolute monarch. Since then, the military has ruled overtly or has influenced politics from behind the scenes. In May 1992, Bangkok's middle class rose up against a general who usurped power following an election in which he was not a candidate. Soldiers responded with deadly force. King Bhumibol intervened...
...dialogue with the red shirts' leaders, but no amount of talking over the past four years has resulted in any political conciliation. Equally distressing for Thais, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, often considered an arbiter of last resort in Thai politics, has been hospitalized since last September. The 82-year-old monarch stepped in during key crises in Thai history, like in 1992 when soldiers gunned down dozens of democracy activists. Millions of Thais have been waiting for their beloved monarch to weigh in on the recent demonstrations. So far, he hasn't said a word...
...Thailand is a nation that prides itself on its Theravada Buddhist heritage. But Buddhism in Thailand is blended with a brew of Hindu, animist, Khmer, pagan and other beliefs. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the country's 82-year-old constitutional monarch, spent time as a Buddhist monk but also retains astrologers and Brahmin priests at court, as is tradition. So it's no wonder that coup plotters, Prime Ministers and lawmakers have frequently consulted fortune-tellers before making important decisions. Performing dark rites to increase one's power and defeat your adversaries is as pervasive among the political class as bribery...
...zone. Technically, he was born on Tuesday, Bangkok time, which means he should be honored by the color pink. In late 2007, King Bhumibol wore a carnation-pink blazer and shirt following a hospital stay, apparently because an astrologer had judged the shade as auspicious for his health. The monarch's fashion statement galvanized a run on all things pink, with tens of thousands of shirts selling in a matter of days. Last September, the 82-year old King, the world's longest-reigning monarch, was readmitted to hospital. In late February, during a rare public appearance, he was again...