Military Coup in Thailand, Could Korea Be Next?

The Thailand military has just overthrown their Prime Minister:

Thailand’s army commander ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a military coup Tuesday night while he was in New York, circling his offices with tanks, declaring martial law and revoking the constitution. A military spokesman said army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin would be acting prime minister.

Sondhi, a Muslim in this Buddhist-dominated country, is known to be close to Thailand’s revered monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

An announcement on national television signed by army Sondhi Boonyaratkalin ordered all troops to report to their duty stations.

A senior army general, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the armed forces chiefs were meeting with the king to discuss forming an interim government, suggesting it would probably be led by civilians.

Hopefully, the US government will come out and condemn this coup. No matter how bad or corrupt the Prime Minister is, removing a leader should be handled by following the processes in the Thai constitution. If the US doesn’t condemn this coup it may give ideas to the militaries of other US allies, such as South Korea who also currently have a deeply unpopular leader with a 14% approval rating, that maybe a coup isn’t a bad idea. In Korea’s case this would be devastating for US interests in the ROK because the leftists would instantly blame the US for orchestrating a coup in order to stop the war time control hand over. This would make a martyr of President Roh which is the last thing Washington wants. The US should make it clear that any coup in Korea would lead to the instant withdrawal of US forces from the country.