If there is another coup, it is doubtful it will be violent. Like the 2006 coup, the tanks will probably again be sporting ribbons, tied to the turrets, this time red ribbons.

Most of the army rank and file is made up of those without the funds to pay their way out of "compulsory" military service, in other words, the red shirts!

You can hardly state that the people that died were in the wrong place at the wrong time , they were journalists doing a job in dangerous circumstances , check out the serious injuries and deaths in hotspots all over the world at present .
I also was in Thailand in 82 and can remember the air of tension , but not fear as a tourist .
Your statement that The London Times " More Brits die in Thailand than any other overseas destination" when was this published would like to look at this , and are you sure of newspapers title as there is no such paper as The London Times here in the UK .
It would be nice to think that the ballot box would be the answer , but I am sure that like me you would not hold your breath , lets all hope and if you feel like it say a prayer that it will pass of peacefully .

Unfortunately, according to the current administration, "the people" are too stupid to vote for the proper candidates.

For the last couple of days Indian news papers are devoting half a page to report what is happening in Bangkok. From what I have read it seems the present government is avoiding use of force.

I would not be so sure that if the violence if it erupts will not also target Farrang. There is a lot of pent up anger up north that does not share the wealth of the tourist trade.

I am in Cambodia watching this on several different TV and media outlets knowing that I need to transit through Thailand to go to the Bangkok Airport for a flight to Bali in just a couple of weeks. I am looking at other ways of flying to Bali from Cambodia as a back up and I have been to Thailand probably 40 times in the last 12 years. (I used up a passport in less than 4 years)

I have heard things from my Thai Speaking long time in Thailand Farrang friends and they are nervous.

Also being in Cambodia is not the best place to be if the current administration in Thailand needs to rally the flag then a scuffle with Cambodia Over Prasat Preah Vihear would be just the thing to distract everyone.

Al Baker: Go to Stickman.com and do a search of his weekly columns over the past four or five weeks. I haven't the time at present to do this as I'm preparing to leave for NZ. He reproduces an article from The Times that is a report from the Foreign Office on the "Deaths In Thailand".

As for my friend, Neil Davis, he was THE ONLY journalist killed. The others, as the cover-up commission notated, were tourists: their crime was they had a camera in hand. The German tourist was shot in a Tuk Tuk taking a snap. It was said in the commission report that the soldier thought he had a gun!!!!!

I live in the North and have for the past six years. There is very little open political activity up here at the moment, people seem to be busy preparing fields for the wet season and cleaning up for Songkran.
Even the big cities like Chiang Mai seem quiet, but I'm making a run up to the Burmese border today and will keep an eye open for any out of the ordinary military activity.

Fifteen dead in clashes. Terrible stuff.
BBC News - Fifteen die as Thai troops try to clear protest camps

hope situation calms down quickly and thus loss of life can be avoided.
From Travel Industry perspective - heavy travel season is approaching with Summer Vacations in much of the world during May/June/July

The time for family travel is about to start. If riots don't stop and the confidence of traveler is not restored - I think Thailand gonna miss out on much of tourism money

I hope it is not the case. I myself is planning to visit BangKok this year

Me too munirfarhan,i'm planing my next trip in august,i hope this country will calm down for them and for us,farangs,is so pitty such a beautiful country with so many nice people to be destroyd by some stupid leaders who only want more money,nothing alse