BANGKOK, Thailand-
Thailand’s military coup leaders may be losing their sense of humor. Five days after instructing soldiers to keep smiling, the ruling council decided Wednesday that there is a limit to how much fun soldiers should have.
They ruled that sexy dancers were forbidden near tanks and tourists were no longer permitted to handle weapons when posing for photographs with troops still deployed in Bangkok.
The military toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup Sept. 19. As soon as the danger of violence subsided the troops mingled freely with residents and foreigners and their tanks became an instant tourist attraction. Hundreds had photos snapped of themselves posing with the soldiers.
At first the ruling generals turned a blind eye when a troupe of go-go dancers with naked midriffs and sexy camouflaged pants performed in front of the tanks to be followed the next day by dancers in traditional attire.
But on Wednesday, Deputy Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit said the go-go dancing was “not appropriate.”
“We have to maintain the seriousness of the coup,” said Lt. Gen. Palangoon Klaharn, a military spokesman. “The police should ensure that provocative performances are kept at a distance from soldiers while they are on duty.”
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