Thailand situation

A valid question since the Thai military stepped into the scene following the removal of Prime Minister Yungluck by an order of the highest court is when will Thailand return to normalcy and a democratic order? Whilst the army has denied that this is a coup, with press restrictions in place and movement of people being regulated under Martial Law, it is natural to wonder if that is indeed not the case. That Thai politics is in crisis is beyond any doubt. It goes as far back as 1998 when the ousted PM's brother Thaksin Shinawara had been at the helm of government. He had introduced the controversial subsidisation of rice, the move making him a hero in the rural heartland but costing the economy dearly.
Thaksin has been in exile since his ouster and now his sister is out of power. Will it solve the problems associated with a deeply divided country with royalists and big business on one side and rural populace on the other? The “Red Shirts” versus “Yellow Shirts” movement has already thwarted snap elections and made it impossible for the caretaker government to rule. In the past, the King exercised great moral authority. Can he do it again? Now that the military are here, will it help pave the way for new elections? As it is, the interim government has declared an election for August. And will new polls bring peace to this troubled country? In fact, nothing meaningful can be achieved unless the two major contending parties decide to drop the posture of belligerence and come to a negotiated settlement to usher in peace and a democratic process.