Suthachai Yimprasert of Chulalongkorn University said the notion that the military had returned to barracks was simply an illusion because they are too ready to step into politics and topple democratically elected governments.

"Just look at the mathematics - half of the 10 premiers in the past three decades have held the rank of Army general," he said.

"Thai people always look up to powers outside the democratic system whenever they believe there is a political deadlock," Suthaichai said. "That's why Thai politics has never been far from a coup d'etat."

The historian was speaking during a retrospective look at Thai politics over the past three decades at an anniversary event to commemorate the massacre of students at Thammasat University on October 6, 1976.

Suthachai said in the past 30 years, there had been six coup attempts, half of which were successful. He named the five generals-cum-premiers since 1976 - General Kriengsak Chamanand, General Prem Tinsulanonda, General Chatichai Choonhavan, General Suchinda Kraprayoon and General Surayud Chulanont.

Speaking from a legal aspect, law professor Worachet Pakeerut of Thammasat University asserted that the September 19 coup d'etat would not be the last in Thailand as long as the judicial institutions continued to recognise self-amnesty laws promulgated by the coup groups.

He said there was a discrepancy in the Thai judicial system that recognised law written by people in power even though the law was against morality and people's common sense.

"If there is law stating that it is not wrong to kill people, should we still recognise it as a law? For me, absolutely not," he said.

He cited the violent 1992 crackdown against the anti-military protesters on Rajadamnoen Avenue by the Suchinda government. Suchinda was freed from responsibility by an amnesty law he issued for himself before resigning as prime minister. "Suchinda's amnesty was effective simply because the judicial institutions passively accepted its legitimacy. "If there was no chance of amnesty, I bet the military would think twice before planning a coup."

Meanwhile, former senator Prateep Ungsongtham Hata condemned the military for sending troops with full weapons into the Klong Toei slum last Thursday. The action was seen as a threat to people in that community, Prateep said.

It is known that many of the slum dwellers were Thaksin supporters. "I would like to tell the new prime minister and the Council for National Security that it is not easy to oppress villagers because their tolerance has limits."

Nantiya Tangwisutijit,

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas

The Nation