In Thailand, the recent bloodless coup was the first explicit military interference in the local political arena since 1991, when Suchinda Kraprayoon, a military general, deposed a civilian government in a bloodless conquest.

Regrettably, an attempt by Suchinda to keep power had then led to bloodshed street demonstrations by students and other people. Those protesters were confronted by heavily armed troops in full battle gear. Forty-four people are believed to have been killed, and nearly forty are still unaccounted for.

Finally Suchinda was ousted in 1992. The tragedy was called the 'Black May'. Subsequently, the military promised to remain in its garrison, in contrast to earlier decades when military coups were a fundamental of Thai politics.