I always get feelings of fear when I hear the army's famous propaganda song, Nak Paendin, which in Thai means "burden of the country". As a child born during the 1970s, this song reminds me of military putsches. Every time the army launched a coup d'etat, televisions would be blacked out, and propaganda songs would be played over and over on TV screens and radios, interchanged with press conferences where stoney-faced, top-brass officials read aloud executive decrees. To this day, people of my generation can still sing these propaganda songs because the punchy lyrics are forever etched in our brains.
Army chief Gen Narongpan Jittkaewtae on Thursday provided assurances that no coups will take place while he is in charge, saying the word "coup" should not exist in anyone's vocabulary.
The United Thai Nation Party (UTN) and pro-status quo elements like the army have launched a fear-mongering campaign, laden with ultra-nationalist content, in the lead-up to Sunday's election.
Over 23,000 men have voluntarily enlisted in the armed forces this year so far, with eight venues nationwide recording a full quota of conscripted men, according to a new report by the Royal Thai Army (RTA).