MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and
chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.
As the article notes, the sad thing is that for a while at least, Thailand was a functioning democracy, albeit with troubling dollops of crony capitalism (which is endemic to the region). With luck it can get back to that but it takes a long time to regain confidence when there are so many extraconstitutional precedents.