There was more cause for embarrassment than celebration on Sunday when Thailand marked its 75th anniversary as a democracy.
Most of the country's 61.5 million citizens barely acknowledged the important date in their nation's history - June 24, 1932 - when a bloodless military coup transformed the government from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. This is because democracy in Thailand has been a work in progress ever since - and often with unsatisfactory results. There have been 11 successful military coups in Thailand, which apart from undermining democracy have done little to improve society.
Many Thais are fed up with the country's political power plays, which inevitably destabilise the economy and hit the average Thai's hip pocket.
Last September's coup is no different, having derailed Southeast Asia's second biggest economy.
The military's appointed government, comprising former generals and bureaucrats, has proven inept at running the country with its dithering on making important decisions, and bungled policy implementation. Thailand's economy, which will be among the worst performing in Asia this year, is growing by only 3-4 per cent.
Ornuma Phromsain, a pharmacist in Bangkok, is worried about her business. Fewer customers have come into her store to buy medicine and health-care products since last year's coup.
'It's a very tough time for everyone,' she said. 'Some of my friends work as sales people and live off commissions, but now they have less money because the economy is doing badly. They don't want to go out anymore because they can't afford to.' She blamed the military-backed government for the economy slowing, but then sighed and said: 'They have no real authority to be the government anyway. I never expected them to do much.'