Thanakorn Ounnasarerk (left) and Nijaree
Parnichreon (right) agree that last month’s military coup d’état has at
least brought stability to Thailand.
Urasin Khantaraphan
After months of political unrest, last month’s military coup
d’état has at least brought stability to Thailand, guests and organizers
of a charity tennis tournament in Sattahip said.
Bangkok resident Nijaree Parnichreon, who has owned a business in
Pattaya for 30 years, set up the May 29 tennis match to benefit
Plutaluang’s Ban Khru Boonchu House for special-needs children. She said
she welcomed the military takeover of the elected government because,
she said, the country was in a vulnerable position that could have
gotten worse if no one put a stop to fighting between pro- and
anti-government forces.
Nijaree said, “Bangkok houses over 7,980,000 people and more than half
of them are people with low income who are struggling to earn their
living. The political turmoil added more difficulties both with the
traffic problems and the decline of the economy. I want peace restored
in the country as soon as possible.”
Many at the tennis match shared the same sentiment. Sompong
Tantilikhidkul, an English professor at Chandrakasem Rajabhat University
in Bangkok, said he thinks political problems have affected every Thai,
so he too was glad the military stepped in before more damage was done.
Of course, he said, he had to adjust his lifestyle to accommodate the
curfew still in effect in the capital.
Thanakorn Ounnasarerk, the owner of a hotel on Bang Saray Beach, said
occupancy at his resort had dropped considerably since the political
unrest started. He too said he is happy the military has taken control
of the government and wanted problems to finally be settled.
Thanakorn said he does not want to see Thai people divided into
different-colored camps, as it causes problems in families where members
have different views.
