A year after the coup, unresolved tensions simmer in Thailand
A year after the military seized power in a coup, the riots have ended and all appears calm on the surface, but society's bitter fissures still remain
Shortly after seizing power in a coup that followed months of debilitating street protests, General Prayuth Chan-ocha vowed to end Thailand's decade of political upheaval once and for all. In his words: "to bring everything out in the open and fix it".
A year later, the military can boast that it has restored stability and kept this nation calm.
But the bitter societal fissures that helped trigger the putsch are still simmering below the surface, unresolved.
"Our differences have just been pushed under the rug by a junta that prohibits freedom of expression," said Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Nothing has been done to address the root causes of Thailand's deep divide."
What was happening now was the imposition of peace by force, Sunai said. "There's no guarantee that whenever the junta lets go of their iron grip, the country will not to fall back into conflict," he added.
On Friday, the anniversary of the takeover, police quashed a small, peaceful demonstration in Bangkok, triggering scuffles as those who took part were dragged away. At least 37 students were detained before being released on Saturday after 11 hours of questioning. Seven others who staged a similar protest in the northeastern city of Khon Kaen were also freed.
