Thailand: One Year After The Coup

It's been one year since a military coup overthrew the Thai government. The military leaders promised that they would end the violence in Southern Thailand, but their appeasement and ineffectual policies have only enboldened the Islamists who are seeking to establish a separate Islamic state in Southern Thailand. The body count grows nearly daily as the Islamists kill teachers, government officials, and intimidate the locals with bombings all over Southern Thailand. Many Thais have soured on the military leadership as well.

The interim government has failed to solve the problems it used as a justification for the coup.

There were two key justifications given: first, that the country had become dangerously polarised under Mr Thaksin; and second, that his corruption and abuses of power had reached intolerable levels.

One year on, Thailand remains just as divided between passionate supporters and opponents of the ousted prime minister.

And it has proved very difficult to bring convincing cases of large-scale corruption against Mr Thaksin.

The one charge made against him to date involves a land purchase by his wife from a state agency, allegedly at a bargain price - but in the context of Thailand's traditionally corrupt politics that hardly amounts to grounds for a coup.

The performance of the government has failed to impress in other areas.

The military chose a highly-respected retired general, Surayud Chulanond, as interim prime minister, but he has proved to be an indecisive leader.

His cabinet, comprised of veteran bureaucrats and academics, has shown little cohesion, with individual ministers pursuing their own agendas.

The government's economic initiatives, intended to protect Thai companies, have backfired, damaging business confidence in Thailand.

The economy is growing more slowly than others in Asian countries.

What remains unstated is the ongoing Islamist uprising in Southern Thailand, which has killed more than 2,500 in the past several years, and shows no sign of abating.