At the same time, rumors are rife in Bangkok about an imminent coup. It is possible that the military will once again intervene to break the political deadlock if the crisis gets out of hand. Army chief Gen. Prayuth Chanocha has suggested that a coup is still an attractive option if the government proves unable to control the situation. If such whisperings are true, the Thai people will have to endure a new round of political conflict–and, more likely, a fresh round of violence.

– Extracted from Pavin Chachavalpongpun, “Thailand’s rising nationalism”, The Wall Street Journal, 9 February 2011. Earlier New Mandala coverage of “coup talk” is available here.