No more coups in Thailand? Only one man has the answer

13 Sept 23:48 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's new Army chief, General Narongpan Jittkaewtae, declared a "zero chance" of a coup during his tenure, provided no groups create conditions for violence or conflict.
He emphasized that making the chance of a coup "less than zero" requires collective effort from all parties, acknowledging that "conditions" are often cited as justification for military takeovers.
The Army commander-in-chief holds unique power to stage coups in Thailand, a country with a history of 13 successful military interventions, making their stance on coups highly significant.
Historically, pledges from Army chiefs to avoid coups are common, even from those who later led successful takeovers, such as Generals Sonthi Boonyaratglin and Prayut Chan-o-cha.
General Narongpan is characterized as a politically neutral "professional soldier," despite having served in a post-coup legislative assembly in 2016.

Bai Lu meet-and-greet cancelled days after China’s safety warning

Yesterday 15:28 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister announced the government will seek clarification from the Chinese Embassy regarding its recent travel advisory warning Chinese nationals about safety concerns in Thailand.
The travel advisory is anticipated to negatively impact the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, despite recent increases in arrivals.
A meet-and-greet event featuring Chinese actress Bai Lu, a WeTV Global Ambassador, was abruptly cancelled just days after the Chinese Embassy issued its safety warning, though no official reason was provided.
The Chinese Embassy's advisory urged citizens to beware of job scams, fraudulent investments, suspicious travel arrangements, and the risk of illegal detention or being lured to the Thai-Myanmar border.
Chinese nationals were advised to verify job offers, use legitimate transport, avoid high-risk border areas, protect personal documents, and keep family informed of travel plans.