Tourists and residents alike have seized on the recent Thai military coup as an awesome photo op, taking pictures of themselves with troop members, standing in front of monstrous military tanks and even handling soldiers' guns. Interestingly, this alone didn't raise alarm among coup leaders. It wasn't until a group of scantily clad go-go dancers showed up -- effectively luring several soldiers from their posts -- that the appropriateness of civilians pawing at automatic weapons was reconsidered. Mental note: Women more threatening than loaded guns.
Yesterday, coup leaders put an official halt to the shenanigans, outlawing dancing near troops and any handling of soldiers' weapons. After all, successfully upholding a military coup is serious business. Lt. Gen. Palangoon Klaharn, a military spokesman, told the Associated Press, "We have to maintain the seriousness of the coup. The police should ensure that provocative performances are kept at a distance from soldiers while they are on duty."
A dancer reasoned that the group's performance was an altruistic endeavor: "Everyone is coming with flowers. We thought we would bring something different."
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