The Coup in Thailand: Exclusive Pix

Click to Enlarge

Despite risking their lives to give you these exclusive photos, Bear and J-dub are alive and safe. On Tuesday evening, around 10 tanks were reported initiating a coup around the Grand Palace in Bankok. The Cali Thais learned of these reports via CNN with the breaking news headline, "Tanks in Bangkok."

Hopping in a Tuk Tuk, Bear rushed to the scene with his camera in hand. At the scene he found tanks in the middle of the road blocking traffic.

"When I got there there wasn't much going on. It's like a chess game more than anything else," says Bear.

It has been a peaceful coup so far, with the military demanding the removal of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin, a business man who has faced protests as well as corruption and abuse of power earlier this year, is out of the country.

The Cali Thais suspect that the coup will remain peaceful and Thaksin will step down. Yet there are still many uncertainties.

How will this affect short-term and long-term foreign investments? Will banks suspend giving loans? How will trade be affected? What will neighboring politicians think of a democratic state experiencing a coup? Will they strenghen their control in their own countries away from democracy? How will the Thias be able to trust their government?

Developing.

~ J-Dub